Cooking Macro The Italiano Way

"Magic" Black Soy Beans...and there is a tea for it!

2012-01-24T11:34:00.008-05:00

So maybe the old man who sold Jack those beans for his cow knew they were black soy beans, and the power behind them.... c'mon folks... Jack and the Beanstalk? No? No one!?

Okay, enough of that. Let's stop with the ridiculousness, we know there's nothing magical about black soy beans, but you'd be in awe if I shared their powers with you.

Without getting into too many complicated explainations, black soy beans are the black seed of the latin plant, glycine soja. Sweet in taste, it's found to be extremely benefical for the spleen and kidneys. Don't be surprised if it also improved blood circulation, acts as a duiretic, improves bone and joint disorders, bronchitis, improves kidney and bladder problems, irregular menstration, removes toxins from the body, and overall helps to relax. Phew! What a mouth-full.

I've been feeling a little under the weather with this winter season and wanted to give my dry cough some reflief, so I whipped up some yummy black soy bean tea. Try drinking a cup of this for 24 hours and tell me how you feel after...I feel great!

BLACK SOY BEAN TEA
1/2 cup rinsed black soy beans (un-cooked, no cans please)
2 cups of water (ratio of beans to water will always be 1:4)
1-inch piece of kombu

Place the beans in the water with the kombu. Let it come to a boil and cover. Heavy pot and lid is always best. Cook beans for 30 minutes! They won't be cooked all the way, but you can always finish cooking them later. Strain the beans—you better save that water because that's your tea! Drink about 1/2-1 cup every 2 hours. It's like MAGIC!

Ask the 'Duke' if it's time for a Lunch Break

2012-01-23T14:01:00.005-05:00

It's COLD outside and I just need something to warm me up. It's the perfect time of year for Udon Miso Soup!

Nothing's better than homemade, but I know what you're thinking, 'I didn't have time to cook today.' For my Manhattan'ers out there, it's Duke to the rescue! I got a large bowl of Miso Soup with fresh udon noodles, vegetables, and tofu. I paid a little extra for some fried tofu, so my total price came to $7.40! Not bad for Manhattan. You can't beat miso to watch those winter sniffles go away.

Check out Cafe Duke!

This location is in Soho and one of my favorites for many years now. Check it out sometime and write me about it ;)

Gratitude....

2012-01-19T23:35:00.004-05:00

Dear Blog Readers -

It's been a momentous night for me. I've never felt so grateful and blessed. With the airing of my documentary tonight, it's brought me back to experiencing it all over again. It's been such an incredible journey for me over the last 10 years of my life. You really never know where life will take you. I never thought I would ever develop a life-threatening illness, and I never would have thought that I had the strength to overcome it. I truly believe that each and every person has an inner strength within them. I started this blog thinking that if I could just make a difference in one persons life, it would be worth it. Knowing that I've reached 100 followers is astounding and heartfelt. You can make anything happen if you believe in it enough.

Life is truly a gift. Tonight, I hope you all live every moment of it to it's fullest and never have any regrets.

To all of you who follow me, I couldn't be this happy without you.
xo
Marisa

Front Page of the Health Section TODAY!

2012-01-16T13:58:00.003-05:00

Featured today in the Staten Island Advance!
Read about my story and my experience filming my upcoming episode to appear on 'The Incurables'

Click here to Read the full article!

Whole Foods Austin

2012-01-16T03:14:00.003-05:00

Check out their bulk section along with organic oil and nut butters. Can we have this in New York please? The selection was so amazing!

Beat That Winter Cold with Apple Cider Vinegar?

2012-01-13T16:35:00.005-05:00

It's a new year and you're getting a new start. This means it's the perfect time of year for your body to go through a nice winter cleanse. In this case, you might come down with some of the common cold symptoms of running nose, sneezing, scratchy throat, and some minor aches in the body. Sounds fun, I know.

If you're anything like me (the busy NYer), we don't have time for colds, right? On the plus side, this is your body's way of finding balance, so try to just let it run its course and go through what it needs to. Slow down a bit!

However, just to quicken the process, I was recently suggested this remedy which just might help you cope with the symptoms. Apple Cider Vinegar and some strong miso soup!

Just take a heaping tablespoon and add it to about 2 cups of room-temp water and drink as fast as you can get down. It's a bit harsh, so please DO NOT try on an empty stomach or if you start feeling nausea. Follow it down with a nice warm bowl of miso soup, and you'll have yourself up and about in no time.

Now, don't hold me to this, I've just tried it today and so far so good! If you've tried this before OR if you would like to try it, please post a comment and let me know! Love hearing about your experiences ;)

WATCH HER ON TV!

2012-01-12T19:04:00.006-05:00

Watch my episode on THE INCURABLES.

Air date: Thursday, January 19th 9pm EST

Click here to view a Sneak Preview

Vegetable Run

2012-01-10T19:13:00.001-05:00

Taking a little trail run in Austin, TX and came across some organic vegetables. Sponsored by Whole Foods.

10 Day Lifestyle Training Program with Virginia Harper!

2012-01-10T01:55:00.001-05:00

COMING UP IN FEBRUARY:

Many have written to me over the last 2 years who are suffering, or have a friend/relative suffering from Crohn's or Colitis. In wanting so strongly to help each and every one of you the best I could, I think this is the perfect solution.

Virginia Harper and I will be collaborating a 10 day retreat program where you will learn EXACTLY what it takes to conquer your illness and regain your health. Working with each of you on an individualized based guidance, you can't get a better program then this. It saved my life and I know it can save yours.

Click Here for More Information on this Program

Tentative dates are Feb 20th thru March 1st. Location to be confirmed (looking at locations outside NY).

If this is something you might be interested in, please write me! We are currently working out specific details. This is a traveling program and if there is enough interest in your community, we can come to you.

Welcome 2012 and Welcome Back!

2012-01-01T19:16:00.000-05:00

Dear Blog Readers -

It's no surprise that my posts have been sparse in 2011. It seemed to be a difficult year for many people and I was no exception. But I'm excited to BRING IT BACK and looking forward to all plans for the new year! With that, I know I will have lots to share. So hopefully all you wonderful readers who were following before, will be sure to check back on a daily (or at least weekly basis) to tune into all the fun info posted.

Be sure to take a look back at past posts if you haven't done so already. And don't be a stranger if you have any questions or suggestions about what you'd like to read. I love hearing them =)

HAPPY and HEALTHY 2012 EVERYONE!

4th of July Spring Rolls!

2011-07-05T19:51:00.002-04:00

Before Frying...

After Frying...

Me so happy...

This was my 1st time making my own home made spring rolls. And you know what...they are so EASY TO MAKE!

Inside Ingredients (Keep it Simple):
Cabbage (finely chopped)
Carrots (finely chopped
Salt (to taste perfection)
Pepper (optional)
Optional Additions: Mushrooms, Corn, Seitan

Saute up all ingredients in a large frying pan with some extra virgin olive oil.
Use Eggless -Eggroll wraps. Lay them out so the point is facing towards you. Place just enough of your stuffing in the middle. Fold both corners inwards, then roll it up like a tootsie-roll. You should end up with a triangle point on top. Wet the tip with a little water so it will stick together before frying. When you fry them, you want to fry 1st the triangle side point down. This way your roll will stick together.

Try it! Let me know how they turn out!

Dishes from Christina Pirello's class

2011-03-12T22:36:00.001-05:00

A Load of Cows Crap....

2010-10-13T23:44:00.007-04:00

If you ask me, this article that just was published on Times.com is a load of crap! Cows crap!

Simon Fairlie: How Eating Meat Can Save the Planet

I love how Simon Fairlie is more up to date on research held against his odds, then info defending it.

I love how he quotes numerous times, that meat can be good "in moderation." Sounds like the commercial for High Frutose Corn Syrup.

I love how he mentions that cows can be feed grass! You know, food that humans can't eat. Sounds like a great idea! Why don't you give that a try.... ... ... ...

I love how his final argument is that killing animals for food is the "right thing to do". Actually, I really have no comment on that.

And lastly, I love how sarcastic this entire post is. Except for the adorable photo of the 2 cows kissing, this article is a "moo point." Get it? Ha Ha.

Alrighty folks, here's the honest truth. I CAN'T say I'm a complete vegan. I do believe that in moderation (and very little moderation) that grass-fed, farm raised, local cows, can potentially be beneficial for some people's health. It all depends on quality and quantity and the individual's personal living condition.

I CAN say, that the process in which animal meats are manufactured are completely hurting our environment, and according to this article, I have yet to be proven wrong.

Just some Food For Thought...

Cutting Back for the Season

2010-10-05T11:58:00.005-04:00

Hey Blog Readers!

Here's a question I recently got about how to handle your condition during the season change. Excellent question! I thought I would share my answer with you all.

Summer to Fall can be a difficult time for many people. Going back to school, weather getting colder, no more summer vacations, etc. But for those of us who have a weakness in the Lungs and Large Intestines, the challenge becomes much greater.

You've all read my story of how I had to suffer flare-up year after year and they all took place around my Birthday (which was last week). Reasons being are related to the 5 Elements. As the weather drops, our energy drops, as well as the areas affected in our bodies. Stay tuned for winter where we hit kidney, bladder, and reproductive organs....

Back to the question I received, what do I do to handle this time challenge? Well, the first step is to prepare in advanced. During mid August we should have started changing our diets to a more hearty, strengthening type of meals. Not DRASTICALLY, just maybe introducing some winter squashes, cutting back on raw foods, switching from long grain to med or short brown rice, and paying attention to how you're feeling.

I know were already in October and your probably panicing "but I didn't do any of that!" Well chill out...no need to panic its never too late to change.

Here are some specific questions I received:

What's the story on probiotics?
Probiotics are extremely important in the body when it comes to balancing out the good vs. bad bacteria. We need these microorganisms to help us with digestion. Especially those who have digestive diseases, take your probiotics daily! Always on an empty stomach, never mix with anti-biotics, and take at least 30 billion bacterias per dosage (or there's really no point).

Do you get by when cutting back on food, stress, etc?
You have to know your own body. You are the only person who will know your limitations. "Listen to your gut" as they say. If you need to get to sleep an hour earlier, skip a social outing, or go out of your way to prepare a healthy dinner tonight, it will be worth it! Your body will thank you later.

Do you take any other supplements to help with Flare-ups?
I don't take many supplements however, here are a few I would suggest. Aloe vera juice is extremely healing for the intestinal wall. It actually helps your cells regrow. L-Glutemine can also be very beneficial when it comes to repairing the intestinal lining. Don't forget your probiotics of course. And lastly, I do take the occasional liquid vitamin. When I know I haven't eaten enough veggies or minerals during the week I will make sure my body has some to work with.

How do you handle drinking alcohol? What's better, straight liquor, beer, or mixed drinks?
Reality check. If you are having an illness at this time, you just should not be drinking. It will only induce the symptoms you are having. Alcohol breaks down in your body like sugar and will be acidic. Would you really pour alcohol on an open wound? Ouch!!
During a time when you are not fighting an illness, I do find that Red wine or Saki are the best for tolerating. Straight Liquor has too much sugar and beer has a lot of yeast (which directly feeds inflammation).

If you have any other questions you can always write to me at macromarinelli@gmail.com

Happy Fall!

Pear-Spiced Coffee Cake...the ultimate fall dessert

2010-09-18T07:57:00.008-04:00

Yes! I actually made this! ......

was what I kept thinking after this fantabulous cake slide so delicately out of the baking pan.

I taught this recipe in a private cooking class the other day and it was spectacular. This is the perfect Fall/Winter recipe to satisfy that sweet tooth, and to impress your family and friends. As the weather get colder, nothing like cinnamonn and allspice smelling up your kitchen...

And to give credit where credit is due, thank you Christina Pirello for another fantastic dessert!

Because it's just THAT good...ok ok...here's the recipe:

1 tablespoon avocado oil (or could also use extra virgin olive oil)
3 tablespoons maple syrup granules (I just used a little brown rice maple syrup for tastes)
3 firm but ripe Bosc pears
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
Pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon EACH: nutmeg, ginger, and allspice
¾ cup brown rice maple syrup (or could use maple syrup)
½ cup unsweetened applesauce (I shaved an apple fresh)

Place oven rack in lowest position and pre-heat oven to 375F. Oil and flour and 8-inch square baking dish.

Drizzle the oil over the bottom of the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with maple syrup granules. Peel, halve, and core the pears. Cut a pear half lengthwise, into 1/8” inch thick slices, leaving the slices attached at the top half of the pears. Keeping the slices together, slide a spatula underneath, invert the pear onto your hand and press lightly to fan the slices. Place it, cut side up, in the maple syrup mixture in the baking dish. Repeat halves, filling the bottom of the dish. Drizzle with lemon juice. Bake uncovered, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, salt baking powder, and spices in a bowl. Wish together the rice syrup and applesauce. Stir wet mixture into dry until just blended. Spoon batter carefully over baked pears, covering them evenly.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. With a sharp knife, loosen edges of cake from pan. Place a serving platter over pan and invert cake onto platter. Remove any pear slices that adhere to the cake pan and replace them on top of cake. Allow to cool about 10 minutes before slicing. The cake is ready to serve warm.

P.S. If you do attempt to make this coffee cake, WRITE ME! I want to hear all about it!

Marisa

Hummus...I got the Hummus...

2010-09-11T09:14:00.002-04:00

I'm traveling to Philly this morning in desperate need of some type of healthy breakfast and guest what guys....

Sabra's got Hummus To Go!

I'm really not one for marketing ploys, but it's these cute little packaged cups. One for hummus and one for pretzels to dip. If you haven't figured out I'm a little Sabra obsessed. Its like my weakness and I swear I try not to have a container more than once a week ;)

Only complaint, they give you a nice portion of hummus and so not enough pretzels. :/

Problem, what do I do with this delicious hummus left and nothing to eat it with?

Food for thought?

Marisa's Tempeh Ruben...It's What's for Lunch!

2010-09-08T13:56:00.007-04:00

Boy was I starving today when I got home from classes! Looking for something to keep me going throughout the rest of the day I wanted a nice hearty, filling meal, with protein! I know there's a debate about how much protein you need in your daily life, and the truth is, you don't need as much as you THINK you do. However, in trying to keep up with the active NYC lifestyle I live, protein is essential in my diet or I'm just not quite complete.

Thinking quick on my feet...I whipped this up in the kitchen:

1/2 package of tempeh (sliced in half to thin them)

Onions (half moons)

Mushroom (thinly sliced)

Annie's Dijon Mustard

Sauerkraut

2 Slices of Whole Wheat bread (slightly toasted)

Dont' forget to steam the tempeh a bit before, unless you like it extra crispy. I fried the tempeh in extra virgin olive oil. Then I separately sauteed the mushrooms and onions together. Put all the ingredients in your sandwich...and I think you get the rest. Feel free to add any specialities you like! I served my with a yummy butternut squash soup from last night's dinner.

And vuala! You have your complete meal. Whole grain, protein, vegetables, pickles, and even some miso (which was in the butternut squash soup).

Yum Yum!

A "sexy" Macrobiotic Diet?

2010-08-10T22:53:00.007-04:00

As I opened my mailbox today, this magazine popped out at me. It's ECA World Fitness's newletter. For those that don't already know, this is where I became certified as a personal trainer. Right there are the front cover was the article "A Macrobiotic Diet: Is This For Me?" Wow!!! I got so excited! The fitness world is starting to put two and two together! I ran up to my apartment to read the entire article (posted above).

Not even half way through the article I started to think, this is a total let down. It talked clearly about the what macrobiotic is based on, a "long-life." The writer quotes George Ohsawa to believe "that simplicty was the key to optimal health." He also talks about the yin and yang in foods and how we need to eat a balanced diet, which is great. But then he makes sure readers are aware that there is no scientific evidence that a macrobiotic diet will reduce breast cancer. Mood kill. He gets very specific on the types of food that should be avoided and the most common foods that are usually found within the diet. All true and important information, but just reading it I was thinking "who in the world would want to do this?" If I wasn't convienced...the average read won't be either.

Where's the "sexy" in macrobiotics? Why do all people focus on is how we "avoid" this food and that food. Why isn't anyone focusing on the amazing rewards you get from living this way? Aside from the amazing amounts of energy you have and the peaceful set of mind, how about the physical rewards? The glowing skin, shiny color hair, and the ablity to control your weight without worrying about calories. If macrobiotics means eating for a great life, athletes, dancers, and everyone in the fitness world would be especially interested in learning more. To put an article like this in a fitness magazine, I'd want to know about how this diet can allow me to complete the marthaton I've been training for, give me the body I've always dreamed of, give me the strength and focus to win a competition. Does anyone else agree with me?

Macrobiotics should not be represented as a diet with restrictions and limitations. Only those who are healing from diseases (caused by imbalances in their bodies and from the environment) do people need to worry about restrictions. Don't you think George Oshawa would encourage people to have a little fun!

Here's to adding some glizy and glamour to a "great-life." Help me bring sexy back...to macrobiotics!

Tempeh for Memorial Day!

2010-05-30T08:44:00.006-04:00

Hello all you Meat Lovers out there! Tis the weekend to whip out the grill and BBQ up some....soy products?

Here's another option for those of us who, sometimes, miss that meat texture.

TEMPEH BURRITOS

SERVES 3-4 PEOPLE (DEPENDING ON SIZE OF THE WRAPS)

1 PACKET OF TEMPEH

7-8 MUSHROOMS (CAN BE MIXED, BABY PORTEBELLO ARE MY FAVOR TIE)

2-3 CLOVES OF GARLIC (MINCED)

1/2 LARGE ONION (DICED)

WHOLE WHEAT WRAPS

SHOYU

LIME
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

CUMIN

CHILI POWDER

SEA SALT

OPTIONAL:

RICE CHEESE

LETTUCE

SAUERKRAUT

START WITH PRE-STEAMING YOUR TEMPEH. THIS ALLOWS IT TO BECOME MORE DIGESTABLE FOR THOSE WITH DIGESTIVE ISSUES. IT ALSO GIVES IT A NICER TEXTURE AND TASTE. WHEN STEAMED FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, SET ASIDE AND LET COOL OFF.

NEXT WORK WITH THE MUSHROOMS. BRUSH THEM CLEAN AND SLICE THINLY (THIS MAKES IT EASIER TO PUREE). YOU WILL NEED A BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSOR FOR THIS. PUREE THE MUSHROOMS UNTIL SMOOTH AND CREAMY. THIS MAY TAKE ADDING SOME WATER TO ALLOW THE MUSHROOMS TO PUREE EASIER. BE SURE NOT TO ADD TOO MUCH BECAUSE YOU WANT IT TO BE THICK. ONCE DONE, SET ASIDE.

HEAT YOUR OIL IN A LARGE FRYING PAN. ADD MINCED GARLIC, SAUTEE FOR A MINUTE. ADD ONIONS AND SAUTEE UNTIL YOU NO LONGER SMELL RAW ONIONS - (ABOUT 3 MINUTES). NOW IS THE TIME TO SPICE UP YOUR FLAVOR. I LIKE TO ADD MY SPICES TO THE ONIONS SO THEY ABSORB THE TASTES. CHILI POWDER, CUMIN, PINCH OF SEA SALT. LET THE SPICES COOK WITH THE ONIONS FOR ABOUT 2 MINTUES. TAKE YOU PRE-STEAMED TEMPEH AND CRUMBLE WITH YOUR HANDS. (YOU MIGHT HAVE TO USE YOUR SPATULAR TO ASSIST YOU IN BREAKING IT DOWN). THE IDEA IS IT TO LOOK LIKE GROUND BEEF, SO YOU WANT THE PIECES SMALL. ADD THE TEMPEH TO YOUR PAN AND MIX WELL WITH OIL. YOU WANT THAT TO COOK FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES WITH THE OIL WITH FLAME ON LOW. NEXT ADD THE PUREED MUSHROOMS. SEASON WITH SHOYU TO GIVE IT ENOUGH TASTE. AT THIS TIME YOU MIGHT FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO ADD A BIT MORE SPICES AND YOU CAN DO SO. COOK UNTIL YOU NOTICE SOME OF THE LIQUID STARTS TO BE ABSORBED. THE TEMPEH SHOULD REALLY START SMELLING AND LOOKING LIKE SOME GROUND BEEF. 5-10 MINUTES. ADD ABOUT 1/2 A LIME AND COOK FOR ANOTHER 2 MINUTES AND YOUR READY TO STUFF YOUR BURRITO.

I love this recipe and it's perfect for kids too! Feel free to spice it up any way you like. Guarantee your guests will not miss the meat!

Enjoy and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Rice Balls

2010-04-15T00:02:00.011-04:00

Hey there World Travelers!

Everyone seems to have caught the travel bug these days (including myself). I find one of the most common questions asked is "how can I travel and eat good food?" Train, plane, or car rides can be long with only cheap fast food restaurants near by. One of the best quick and easy meals to take on the road are RICE BALLS! ....(and I don't mean the way the Italians make them.)

Fast, Easy, and Long Lasting. These little guys can fill you up and give you the energy to keep going throughout a long day without throwing your body out of wack. I never leave home without them. Whether it's hiking a mountain in Alaska, or road triping to Canada, be sure to pack some.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Recipe:

Cooked (leftover) brown rice
Nori Sheets
Umeboshi Plums
Optional: Almond Butter

Make your brown rice as usually (the stickier the better). Roll the rice into a ball (about your palm). Poke a whole with your finger and put a little piece of umeboshi plum in the middle. If you are able to have almond butters right now, you can spread some onto the nori sheet. Place the ball in the middle of the nori and roll it up with it. Use water to wet your hands and make the nori stick completely around the ball. The nori and umeboshi preserve the rice and it's very easy to travel with. It will give you a nice base energy in the middle of the day. The almond butter really adds a tasty touch (if you can handle it).

Health Benefits Breakdown:

The rice is a whole grain. As a complex carbohydrate it will keep your body energized without the highs and the low peeks.
The Nori replenishes the minerals you need throughout the day.
The umeboshi plum will keep you akaline and blood sugar regulated.
The almond butter is a great source of protein if you need that extra kick. Making this an overall complete meal.

Enjoy and safe travels!

Listen to My Story...

2010-03-25T13:36:00.002-04:00

Listen to My Story from last Monday, now posted on Monday's Macrobiotic Miracle.

Tune in next week to hear Susan Marque speak on her amazing healing journey!

Monday's Macrobiotic Miracle

2010-03-22T00:40:00.000-04:00

Monday's Macrobiotic Miracle

Join in Monday at 8pm for a Free Conference Call. You'll be able to hear my full story and ask questions on Macrobiotics. And yes it's FREE. Hope to be speaking with you!

Kinpira; the importance of burdock you say?

2010-02-25T01:25:00.010-05:00

Tuesday's cooking class went great! Here's a clip on Kinpira style cooking.

Kinpira is an extremely healing dish and chose to teach it on Tuesday's class. Made with carrots and burdock, the root veggies are know for their deep energy. The sweetness of the carrots balance the deep bitter burdock. Kinpira style cooking is when the vegetables are cut in to matchstick like pieces and sautéed.

Now, I know you're wondering, "what the bleep is Burdock?" Burdock is one of the strongest vegetables you can find in this world. Nothing grows within 4-ft of it. It's root grows deep deep into the ground, breaking through anything that gets in it's way. Let's say there was a rock deep in the ground, the burdock root would break through the rock and keep growing. (Wouldn't want to be caught dead with something that strong).

Some of the benefits of eating burdock are:

- one of the strongest blood purifiers

- improves digestion

- promotes absorption of nutrients and elimination of wastes.

- promotes healing of wounds

- balances low energy

- improves skin conditions (like eczema)

...just to name a few. So what have we learned here? Go out to your local Chinese food store and pick up some Burdock (although they call it Gobo root). If you're thinking, "this dead twig I'm holding, is this it?" you've found the right vegetable. This ugly root will make you beautiful on the inside and OUT.

Enjoy! and Try it!

Warming Up In The Kitchen...

2010-02-24T17:06:00.004-05:00

Pot Lucks

2010-02-23T23:52:00.000-05:00

Pot-Lucks:

March - TBD Location in NYC - Join NYC Macrobiotics for updates.

COOKING CLASS THIS TUESDAY!

2010-02-20T20:07:00.007-05:00

Please join me for a Cooking Class this Tuesday at 7:00pm.

To reserve your spot email me at macromarinelli@gmail.com
$20 inlcudes lecture, tasting, and recipes.

I would love to individualized the class to meet your personal needs if you would answer some questions:

- How much cooking experience do you have?
- What would you like to learn - basic style cooking - fancier foods - medicinal?
- Do you have a favorite dish you always wanted to learn to cook?
- Are you interested in generally eatting better or do you have a specific goal in mind?
- Do you have any food allergies?

Hope to see you this Tuesday!

xo
Marisa

Lentil Tofu Burger with Mashed Yam and Squash

2010-02-05T16:34:00.014-05:00

Feel like you're missing out on meat? This is your fix!

I, for one, have always been a HUGE Burger fan. And even still I get cravings for them. Me and Jane had some leftover Lentil soup one day and decided to have a little fun with tofu.

So here's what you do:

If you don't have leftover lentil soup, pre-cook some lentils and let sit till all water is absorbed. (Just boil in water 2:1 and be sure to add the salt towards the end of the cooking.) Although, my soup was made tastier with carrots, onions, garlic, etc... Crumble some tofu which has been pre-steamed. Especially if you have any type of digestive issues you always want to steam the tofu first. You can portion off the amount of tofu you use to the amount of lentils you have. You want to do maybe 2/3 tofu to 1/3 lentils.

Place tofu and lentils in a large bowl and add your seasonings:

(options)
-garlic (minced)
-onions
-scallions
-leeks
-basil
-oregano
-garlic powder
Love my italian seasonings

If you like things spicy you can always add:

-peppers
-cumin
-chile powder
These make a more mexican flavored burger

I wish I can tell you exactly what and how much I put in there but it was so spontaneous that I can't even remember. I strongly encourage you to play. Use foods that you love and portion off to how much you actually want to taste them.

Once you have all your ingredients in your bowl you really want to mix them together to get the flavor even. I use my hands (pre-washed, thanks). To make the ingredients stick together you need to add flour (we used corn flour). Don't be shy with this. Watching Jane, we realized the more the better to make a really good burger. You really need to pack it in tight to get them to stick. I left the hardest part for Jane because she's a pro at this.

Once we had amazing patties (that looked exactly like burger patties) we oiled a pan and fried them up. Because they were so thick we wanted to make sure they cooked all the way through so we covered them with a top. This helps keep the warmth in, almost like baking.

When they're golden (and cooked in the middle) they're done! We had yummy seasame whole wheat buns from Whole Foods. Added some condiments (Annie's Dejoun Mustard, Organic Mayo, Organic Ketchup and some Bubbies Cole slaw) and we had an AMAZING BURGER!

As for the Squash and Yam Mash....I think that's pretty self explanatory. I steamed the the Squash for a bit longer before I put the Yams in. Then mash away!

Try it!

Use the word "Macrobiotic"

2010-02-02T15:28:00.000-05:00

How exciting is this!

I walk into Whole Foods today...I always go to the hot/cold salad bar....and I see there is now a MACROBIOTIC section!

Not just Vegetarian, Not just Vegan...

I think this is a huge turning point that a large corporate industry such as Whole Foods can promote the word Macrobiotic. Hopefully other people who see this can question it, maybe even look for more research and information.

Be sure to check out Whole Foods in your own area. I must say it wasn't the best selection of food but it's a start.

Now it's your job to spread the word and forward this blog!

Macro Pot-luck for the New Decade

2010-02-01T15:33:00.009-05:00

What a great night!

Another wonderful successful pot-luck last night. Thank you to all who attended and bringing your delicious food and beverages. And to all who couldn't make it, stay tuned for next month.

Special thanks to the Ionians! Jane, Florence and Marcus. Couldn't have cleaned and cook that quickly without your expertizes.

I wanted to share some of the great Christina Recipes that were enjoyed. So delious!

Roasted Squash and Mushrooms pg. 158

6 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups cubed unpeeled delicata or butternut squash (we used butternut)
4 cups mixed mushrooms (we used white, buttoned, and shittake) stemmed and halved (we quartered them)
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

Pre-heat oven to 425F. We were unsure how small to cut the squash. A mistake...turned into cubes less then 1" around. This led us to cut the mushrooms into quarters since they were really large. Perfect mistake! Mix all the pieces in a large bowl add the salt and olive oil and coat well. Place into baking sheet with sides. We used a glass plater with sides. Do NOT overlap in dish. No water is neccessary. Bake, uncovered 25 to 35 minutes (ours took about 30 and you need to keep an eye on it).

Remove from oven and drizzle with lemon juice. (you know we completely forgot about that part...haha...I even made sure to buy lemons). Serve hot.

Let me tell you, the squash tasted like sweet potatos and critics said it was a favorite of the night.

Tangy Chocolate Chip Cookies pg. 321

3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup avocado oil (we used extra virgin olive oil instead)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (we just skipped this part)
1/2 cup coarsely diced pecans (actually I already had walnuts in the cabinet so that was used instead)
1 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate chips (I finally used this bag that was sitting in my cabinet for months!! purchased at Whole Foods)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchament paper and set aside. (If you don't have parchment paper in the budget you can use spray x-virgin olive oil).

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt in a bowl. Whisk together rice syrup, organe juice, oil, vanilla and organe zest until creamy and stir in dry ingredients. (Ya know, we thought the batter was just too floury and ended up adding just a few more drops of organe juice. Feel free to judge your own but you want it firm and very doughy.) Fold in nuts and chocolate chips. (now for those of you who don't know how to fold, like me, you just gently turn the batter inwards until everything mixes and down over disturb the batter).

Drop cookie dough by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until cookies are golden and firm. Remove to cool.

So yummy! Take a look at the photo.

Struddle

2010-01-29T13:48:00.010-05:00

Making A Choice To Heal: Recovering from Ulcerative Colitis

2010-01-19T11:53:00.002-05:00

Hey Blog Fans!

I know I've been quiet for a little while, but stay tuned as I'm making a comeback!!

Check out my article published on the Macrobiotic Guide, based out of the UK.

Making A Choice To Heal: Recovering from Ulcerative Colitis

Stay tuned for some more yummy recipes and videos coming soon! Also, for those who are interested in attending one of my cooking classes please send me a quick email and I can keep you updates.

xo
Marisa

GUEST BLOGGER: "MACRO 101"

2009-11-16T20:40:00.007-05:00

I was graciously invited to participate as a Guest Blogger on TABLE FOR ONE.

Many are often interested to learn more about the word macrobiotics and what it stands for. It is a diet or a lifestyle and where can you start? This blog post I've titled "Macro 101" and it's my brief interpretation of what macrobiotics means to me and what I think are the top five most important tips when it comes to changing your life and feeling health.

I'd love for all of you to check it out. Make comments, suggestions, opinions, I'd love to hear it all.
AND please note the fabulous TABLE FOR ONE Blog as they have some excellent tips on healthy foods and healthy humorous life. I love these girls!

Enjoy and thanks for reading!
xo
Marisa

Article Below:

By: Marisa Marinelli of Cooking Macro the Italiano Way

Let's start with: What's Macro? I usually get a response from people "Macro like Big?"Yes! I'm talking Big, Great, Larger than Life. How about a GREAT-LIFE! How about we talk about Macrobiotics, in standard definition meaning "Living a Great Life."

At 26 years old I've seen enough doctors, needles, and medications than anyone should in their lifetime. You would never know it because five years ago I found a practice and a belief that would save my life. I discovered Macrobiotics.

You may have heard that word before used vaguely, or some might associate it with being a stereotypical "hippie" life style. Believe me when I say I've never been a hippie. I'm more like the brainy beauty queen who wants world peace. Some of you might think macrobiotics is a strict diet where you eat seaweed off the beaches. "Um, yuck!" I'm here to clear some of these stereo-types that macrobiotics has been given. I'm here to say that because of this practice I'm alive today, and living HAPPILY and HEALTHY.

So, what is Macrobiotics? Is it a diet or a life-style? Well I say it's finding Balance with in both. Let's think scientifically for just a minute. For those who believe in the "Big Bang Theory," the world was created one day with one big burst of energy. Everything we are, to everything we eat is made up of energy. Energy moving up, energy moving down, energy expanding, contracting, etc. Have we ever stopped to think about what kind of energy we are putting into our body when we think about the food that we eat? When you eat something like a steak and pour salt all over it (contracting), don't you usually get really thirsty after that? And what do you crave, maybe mashed potatoes or french fries (expanded).Expanded and Contracting are two types of energy that in Macrobiotics are considered Yin and Yang. I don't want to get into the scientific details too much because that would be boring. I'm sure what you really want to know is how all this knowledge and balancing act saved my life five years ago.

I'm here to explain briefly how a diet that consist of Whole Grains, Non-animal source of protein, Leafy Greens, Fruits and Root Vegetables, and yes a little sea vegetables can actually put your body back into Balance.Whether you are over-weight and just can't seem to shed the pounds, or if you have a serious illness which is preventing you from living a fulfilled life, or even worse if you're life is a risk, please know that most likely it's due to what we are eating. The quality of the foods that we put in our body can actually cause our bodies to attack themselves -- All auto-immune diseases fall into this category. Sometimes cells begin to over produce rapidly and can not be killed off -- Cancers are formed. And sometimes we can over-simulate our bodies with processed chemicals such as sugar and drugs where we can give our-selves heart attacks and strokes.

Food is the answer to a Great Life!

Without going into too much of the scientific of food energy, I want to provide a starting point for people. We all know changing your diet is probably the hardest thing anyone will try to do in their life-time. Avoiding sugar? I think I can probably convince more people to sell their souls to the devil. Here are my top Five suggestions in starting to make some changes in your life. I call them "Marisa's Suggestions for a Road to a Better Life"

#1 -- AVOID ALL SUGARS! This does not necessarily include natural sweets such as fruits, honey, and pure maple syrups. And who say anything about avoiding desserts. Eat away! In fact, most Americans don't even realize how their taste buds have been tainted so much with poor chemical sugars that we can no longer taste the natural sweetness of desserts. For more info and recipes I can be contacted at a later date. ;) Basically you're torturing yourself by doing this because sugar is not a natural product. It is "man-made." Sugar canes are cut down, grated and heated at a very high temperature which causes it to crystallize. Our bodies do not have the capability of breaking down this material therefore we store it as fat. The reason we crave so much sugar is because it's a glucose. We all need glucose in our bodies to give us fuel. However, this fuel is a very poor quality. We eat that snickers bar and an hour later we're crashing on the floor. We need to eat substances with a complex carbohydrate that will provide with a complex glucose molecule that will be used slowly and not burned off quickly. You might also have heard of this refereed to as an "empty-calorie".

#2 -- EAT ORGANIC - HORMONE FREE FOODS. Yes it's true that many people who are macrobiotic do not eat animal meat. The reason is because it's extremely hard to digest in our bodies and can cause acid in the blood. However, some people (and this is very individual) need more protein in their daily lives. Us who are very active is not going to get what we need from a salad. Fish is an excellent source of protein for the body. Other forms of protein are soy, beans, and even sea vegetables. I know how difficult it is to cut out meal completely. My suggestion is to cut-back meat and replace it with a more variety group of protein. And most importantly, when you do eat meat, it must be FREE-RANGED, AND GRASS FEED.

#3 -- EAT A VARIETY OF FOODS. Especially for those out there who are not trying to recover from severe illness and are just trying to make it through the day. Maybe you live in Manhattan like I do and we all know how much stress we are surrounded by. We are just looking for ways to feel better. The best thing you can do is eat something different every day. Always try to eat a whole grain every day. Bread is NOT a whole grain. Brown Rice, Millet, Quinoa, Barley, Oats. Bread and pasta are processed grains. Okay on occasion but not going to cut it for 7 days a week. Always try to eat a Vegetable with your meal and this means a green leafy vegetable and maybe something that's round or root. Be adventurous try new recipes. Home cooked meals are the best way to go. If you always eat something different every day and try to eat as much vegetables as you can you will always be fill of proper nutrients and energy.

#4 -- AVOID DAIRY -- 95% of people in this world do not possess the enzyme necessary to break down casin (which is found in dairy). It's stored in our bodies as fat and causes acidity in the blood. Just avoid it as much as possible, you might find out you don't even miss it.

#5 -- DIET IS NOT ENOUGH -- People, especially those who reside in large cities, are just so incredibly busy today. Working a corporate 9-5 job, or an artist trying to get a big hit, or single parents trying to raise children. We can get so wrapped up in the daily grind that we never stop to think about ourselves. When was the last time you asked your body "how are you feeling today? tense or relax?" I'm going to guess the answer is tense and stressed. We can't avoid stress in our life but we can learn how to handle it. Take time for yourself everyday! Read a book, take a bath, do some yoga, meditate and put your mind at peace. It's so important to constantly bring your body back to balance physically. As important as food choices are they can't solve everything when you can't even sit down peacefully and breath. There needs to be a balance between work and play. Who says you can't have fun when you get older...listen to your body.

Thanks for reading today and hopefully letting me inspire you. You can do it!

One Lovely Blog Award

2009-11-12T23:45:00.004-05:00

Just wanted to say Thank You to

Makeup by Lauren P

She has awarded me the "One Lovely Blog Award." It was so sweet of her to think of me and I'd love for all of you to take a look at her beautiful blog as well.

Thank you Lauren and thanks for reading!

xo
Marisa

I call it - Squash and Rice Pumpkin.

2009-10-29T13:37:00.008-04:00

I was BOLD....DARING....and Hungry for SQUASH!

Another one of Christina's masterpieces. Baked Squash with Wild Rice and Mushrooms.

I thought it was the perfect winter-time dish. The weather is getting cold outside and you just want something warm and hearty. Have I mentioned I've never done anything like this before? Mind you, I have my small Manhattan apartment to work with and limited cooking ware. I thought some bright colorful photos pretty much say it all with this piece of work....

Making the Rice and Mushroom Stuffing

Hyde needed to help me get the middle out of the squash

Looks like a green pumpkin...(I probably should have made the whole bigger)

The Squash Baking in the oven

mmMMmm. A slice was already cut out to show off the inside.

The Tiramisu.

2009-10-26T17:01:00.009-04:00

Has any one else actually MADE Tiramisu? Like, from scratch?

I need to be perfectly honest here, I've never been a huge Tiramisu fan in general so this dish was particularly hard for me. I wasn't exactly sure what to compare the taste to or what the best Tiramisus look like.

Well, why did I choose this dish you might ask. Duh! Because I'm cooking my way through Christina's book?

Okay, there is a better answer to that question. One of my co-workers from the Ballet, dared me to make her a delicious dessert which she can eat and eat and not feel guilty about. "I want Tiramisu, ready go" I think was her exact response. Always up for a challenge, I dug into Christina's book and there it was.

pg. 315 Would You Believe? Tiramisu

This recipe is pretty simple. You only have to prepare the cream. And that's because the cake recipe is completely separate.

pg. 302 Surefire Basic White Cake

This is the recipe you will be to combine with the Tiramisu. It takes about 40mins to cook and 30 minutes to cool so plan accordingly. I followed the directions to a tee. I doubled the recipe as called for...I hope I didn't add too much flour. I feel like maybe I could have added more liquid. The instructions say it should be spoonable, but not running. Hmm. Maybe my batter was a little too think. I only had it in the oven for exactly 40 mins, but when it came out it was more like a bread. I believe Tiramisu is supposed to be moist? Oh well, at that point there was no turning back.

Here was another issue I ran into. I didn't have round cake pans, and I didn't even have two of the same cake pans. So instead, I doubled the battered, and put it all in 1 long sheet pan. I figured I'd cut it in have to make 2 cakes. It wasn't a bad improv idea, however those half pieces weren't even. This brings presentation down to a 5 out of 10. You then need to cut the 2 cakes in half horizontally to make 4 layers. Yea, that definitely did not happen. Let's say I ended up with 3 layers and the cake was about 5" high.

Another funny improv I had to come up with was the coffee. I'm macro I don't drink coffee!! Actually I'm kidding....I don't drink coffee because I don't like the taste. Yes you heard correctly. I do not like the taste of coffee. So why would someone like me own a coffee maker? The recipe called for 1 cup of grain coffee brewed. Being a NY-er I went over to one of the 5 Starbucks on my block and bought a grande de-caf black. Such a proud coffee-orderer I am =)

The directions call for you to spoon the coffee on each layer, but not to make it soggy. I think I could have added more coffee to the cake. Isn't tiramisu supposed to be really coffee like? I was just so afraid of making the cake soggy, meanwhile the cake was more like a bread. So, at the end this wasn't my greatest master piece. However, an A for Effort. I'd like to see you peeps out there try and make a 4-layer Tiramisu. I brought it to the Pot-luck that night and people ate it. Although when there's a lot left over that's not a good sign. Eek.

And to Georgia, I'm sorry if it wasn't the greatest. Apparently after I gave her a slice she wasn't overly fond.

I'M SORRY EVERYONE!

I'd really like to try this recipe again...I think I got it now.

But I dare YOU to try it!

1st Macro Pot-luck!

2009-10-26T15:12:00.002-04:00

What a GREAT NIGHT!

Great people, delicious food, and a beautiful night in NYC!

Last night I was excited to attend my first macrobiotic pot-luck party. It was hosted by JR and Ellen at their georgous Manhattan apartment. This is such a great idea in so many ways! I guess I'll just list them.

Support. Aside from wanting to feel and look great, many people find macrobiotics as a resource to heal themselves from an illness. Meeting other's in that same situation (who live near by) is a HUGE support and motivation to keep doing what you're doing. Push through the hard times. Results are close by.

Practice. I've been cooking my way through Christina Pirello cookbooks and this was another opportunity to share my food with others - get feedback - make improvements - listen to different cooking ideas.

Networking. It allows you to meet other motivated individuals with the same interest in getting the word about macrobiotics out to all they meet.

Food. Last but definitely not least. I'm telling you there was some of the best tasting, colorful, food I've ever eatten. And the best part is that it's health!! Each up all you want, and come back for seconds.

The dish I decided to make last night was the one and only...TIRAMISU. I figured you couldn't go wrong with dessert. Christina Pirello had a great recipe and I was so excited to try it. Read post below to find out more on how it turned out.

I would love to host more of these and more often. Stay tune for postings of upcoming pot-lucks. If you'd like to be included you can subscribe to my blog --> to the right.

Me and my good friend Miss Jane Eller, have also created a facebook group called NYC Macrobiotics. Click here to join. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=166644928887#

Christina Fights for the REAL Breast Cancer Cure!

2009-10-23T23:34:00.004-04:00

Christina Pirello has done it again. Not only is she a great role model as a healthy chef, but she speaks her mind, too!

As most of us know, October is as Breast Cancer Awareness month. This article was released in the beginning October in the Huffington Post Blog. I got so excited reading it! Titled, "Cure? They Don't Want No Stinkin Cure," Christina expresses concerns about corporations making so much money off of "fundraising" for diseases. But, why would they want to cure something that keeps them in business? You would think, after the MILLIONS of dollars raised each year for Breast Cancer, and other noble causes, shouldn't researchers be on the brink of finding a cure? Please don't misconstrue her words, she is not speaking poorly of the amazing women who have fought, survived, and lost their lives to Breast Cancer. She only points out the lack of information on PREVENTION! There is a HUGE lack of information on healthy eating. What is it exactly? And, what's considered healthy food choices? With sponsors such as M&M, Pillsbury, General Mills, etc., you can see how people might be confused.

I would also like to point out that this article should not single out Breast Cancer or Cancer organizations in general. For two years, I was proudly on the board to NYC's Walk-For-A-Cure with CCFA (The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America). As an Ulcerative Colitis warrior, I was eager to devote my efforts to fundraising and activism so that a cure could be found for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. So eager, it was originally my motivation to compete in pageants. Four years ago this seemed like the logical way in helping to make a difference in this world. After two years of supporting selected research projects, the entire Walk Board finally learned what exactly our money ($100,000 that year) was going towards.

Are you ready for this?

Our entire donation was paying the salary of ONE researcher who was working on creating another drug that could possibly assist in reducing inflammation. That's it. It wasn't even a project specified for IBD patients. I was shocked! Angry! Confused! How can a huge organization believe this was actually making a difference? By this point, I was living symptom free, MEDICATION free, enjoying my brown rice and hummus. Why would I be interested in funding the creation of another drug when all I wanted to know was how this disease happened to me in the first place? Not to mention, where did I go wrong in treatments before I discovered Macrobiotics? That was the last year I was part of CCFA's walk. I would no longer raise money towards something that is not directly related to its cause.

So finally, here's the Huffington Post article. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christina-pirello/cure-they-dont-want-no-st_b_305013.html

Thanks for reading!

Disney's Interpretation of Health...

2009-10-16T12:05:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to share one more video... For those who have recently riden the Spaceship Earth ride at Epcot, you can get to make your own video of how you're future will be. Since we are both big Health fans, we selected a healthy and fittness future....

...here is Disney's Interpretation of Health in the future....I LOVE IT!

Disney Go's VEGAN!?!?

2009-10-16T11:38:00.004-04:00

Hey Everyone!

Big appologizes for not posting in a while. However, if it's any excuse I've been in Disney World for the past week! For those who know me, this is where all my dreams come true....except when it comes to food.

It's not easy to travel especially when you're macro. Sometimes you deal with time differences, and you're eating hours are off. Or there is no food available so you'll just have to wait till you land somewhere comfortably to grab a bit. Or, and this is my favorite, if you live anyway outside New York City, places actually close down before midnight so food is not available anywhere and you need to go to bed on an empty stomach. =( You probably guessed that's what happened to us when our flight go in at 10:00pm and we didn't get to the hotel till almost 11:30pm. The only place that was open was the McDonalds (convinently located on Disney grounds). We decided to wait till morning to eat.

Next morning we go down to the cafe area and look at the menu. It read, meat, meat, chicken, chicken salad, meat, cheese dish, cheese dish, and "what's that" a VEGGIE BUGER? Yes! Disney has finally put a Veggie Burger for us on the menu. And let me tell you, it's pretty damn good! This is offered at pretty much all the park cafe's. We had veggie burgers in Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and All Star Sports Resorts. Now if you're lucky, sometimes the Cafe's have salad buffets where you can get freshes sauteed mushrooms, onions, pickles, lettuce, etc etc. Me and Hyde had a feast. Fresh Veggies??! And if you don't want to splurge on the side on French Fries, they now had the option of fresh Apple Slices. Hmm. This goes great in the 98-degree heat we were walking around in all day.

Overall I did my very best to stay on track with food. The hardest part are the mornings because I can't have oatmeal and their grits have major butter in them. Other options are baked items like bagels, muffins, crossoinants....

Here's another amazing thing Disney does these days. I had made a bunch of dinner reservations for the week. I happen to mention to the Disney Representative that I'm kinda sorta like Vegan (didn't feel like going into a macro story at that moment). When we got to our reservation for that day, the ticket had my name and under in CAP letters it said, VEGAN, FOOD ALLEGIES, SPECIAL MEAL. The waitress immediately came up to us and said "Oh! Food Allergies! Do you need to speak to the chef!" At that time I had already picked out my fish dish with pasta. "Oh no, that's okay thank you." But she insisted "are you sure? you're vegan, you want the fish? I can bring a chef" I simply assured her "no, no this is just fine" didn't want to make a sence as she was being rather loud in this restaurant and I really was looking forward to the dish I selected. But non-the-less, it was so great to know that all you need to do is say the word "food allergies" and immediately they will make any type of accommodations for you.

Go Disney! Go Disney!

Only regret is I wasn't able to take pictures of all the food choices I ate for the week. So instead, enjoy a picture of me and Hyde on Splash Mountain.

Birthday Blues

2009-09-25T16:35:00.004-04:00

Don't be misled by the title, I've actually had a WONDERFUL Birthday! Thanks to my wonderful boyfriend and great friends.

I wanted to write this post about my Italian Cuisine last night. My boyfriend took me out for dinner last night at one of my favorite Italian Restaurants. I was all ready for a delicious Italian meal. "Forget Diet" I told him, "we're doing sauce and cheese tonight!" Hey, for once a year I thought I deserved a little splurge.

We ordered the Baked Clams, Cesar Salad, Chicken Rollitini and Rigatoni alla Vodka. mmMMMmmm. In the past, these have been some of my favorite entrees (particularly from this restaurant). Honestly, I haven't eaten a meal like this in quite some time. Turns out, it wasn't what I expected. Mixed with Italian wine, this meal turned out to be a lot more to handle than I thought.

After eating a macrobiotic balanced diet for all these years, my taste buds seemed to have changed. Instead of craving the foods I've grown up on (cheese, meat and more cheese) I find myself craving more complete meals. Without the balanced leafy green vegetables or a side of pickled diakon, that Chicken Rollitini didn't seem as settling. Fascinating!

This doesn't mean I'll never eat Chicken again, or I'll never have a piece of cheese. However, I've just found that those comfort foods are not really necessary to get that complete satisfaction. A good meal is something that gives you satisfaction afterwards, not during. In fact, it doesn't really give you satisfaction at all, maybe a little tummy-ache.

I'm sticking to my macro diet and to Christina's Cook Book! Can't wait to cook another balanced meal!

xo
Marisa

Risotto with a little Squash Flare

2009-09-23T23:30:00.008-04:00

Butternut Squash Risotto. pg 56 in Christina Cooks the Whole Foods Way. Yum Yum Yum!!!

okay, I am going to reveal the secret ingredient in the spectacular recipe.

Drum roll please...............................Nutmeg!

Hope that wasn't too much information.......Just a few sprinkles of nutmeg and the whole meal was turned upside down. I didn't even know I liked nutmeg till tonight. I only sprinkled about 2 pinches over the whole entree and you taste every bit of it. I actually reccommend using less if you're unsure. Nutmeg seems to be one of those ingredients that you tastes with every drop.

I was so excited about this dish, I really didn't think it was going to come out good at all. At one point I was begging to it "Please don't burn, Please don't burn" Who says you can't talk to your food? That good little risotto perked up in no time and lived up to it's name.

Helpful Tips:

The risotto sticks to the bottom of the skillet very quickly. When she says stir constantely she means it. Make sure the risotto doesn't ever stick, you want it as fluffy as possible.

I substituted store bought vegetable stock in this meal. (I know this is the second time I've done that) One of these days I will make that vegetable stock and use it. Usually I would be hesitant with the salt flavoring as there is a lot of sodium in the store-bought-stock. However, I used a generous amount of salt as Christina suggested and I think it was just the right amount. You be the judge.

Another rather important ingredient is the white wine. Be sure to use one with a good taste, maybe not so dry. And be sure there's no nutty flavors in it. (Okay, I'm sure you're asking about now, how the hell do I know this? I'm supposed to be the girl who knows nothing. And this is true, except for the fact that I walked into the wine store today and asked the clerk "um, what's a good wine to cook with?" Yeah, the answer is ANY wine, Duh!) I rather liked my choice and it made for a good drink with the meal as well.

Overall, to balance this meal, I had my Risotto (whole grain) with Butternut Squash (round veggie) and my Wakame Casserole (sea veggie and protein) and a side of steamed kale (leafy greens). Take a look a the pics, I think it was quite beautiful and most importantly DELICOUS!!

Try it!

Here's what Hyde had to say about it:

Who Said Seaweed Can't Be a Delicious Casserole?

2009-09-23T22:38:00.003-04:00

Wakame Casserole pg. 198 in Christina Cooks The Whole Foods Way

First I'd like to say to all you NON-seaweeders out there: YOU SO HAVE TO TRY THIS DISH!

I must say this was probably the coolest dish I've made so far. It just looked yummy in the platter. Somewhere between a Tuna Casserole and a Tiramasu (according the Hyde).

Where do I start: When making the Tofu/Tahini cream it reminded me so much of cheesy creaming pudding. Can you tell how much I used to love cheese, I'm always talking about or comparing food to it. For some helpful pointers, I had to add a little water in the food processor in order for it to "process." Just very little, to make it creamy.

Another helpful tip. I could have used a little more shoyu sauce when seasoning. So, what the recipe really calls for is a generous amount of shoyu sauce when adding. Remember, there isn't any salt in any other part of the recipe.

I don't own a true casserole platter, just the bottom without a top. When you bake this it calls for you to cover it, but obviously I couldn't do that. I baked it as is, uncovered for 35 minutes. Seemed fine to me.

I really liked this dish overall. Again, I'm trying to keep a good amount of seaweed and tofu in my diet these weeks as it helps with reproductive organs. This is truly the perfect dish. And visually appealing too =)

Try It!

Amazed by my Glazed...Apple Dessert

2009-09-16T22:00:00.005-04:00

Finally!!! My first Dessert! I know this is long over due. I've had a few people ask me about desserts, and yes there are plenty and plenty good to eat.

I decided to start simple, with a night Autumn fruit, the Apple. The Glazed Apples sounded perfect, pg. 318 of Christina Cooks The Whole Foods Way. I already had the ingredients in the house so I didn't have to purchase anything special.

So really, this was pretty self explanatory, pre-heat the oven, cut up the apples, make an apple juice glaze and bake =) The special top is the roasted almonds on top for extra flavor and crunch.

Yum Yum. Try it!

The aftermath:

The Alaskans Make Nishime...

2009-09-14T23:01:00.008-04:00

....and disaster hits my kitchen!!
Let's start this post by saying that I was so nervous about this past weekend. A few friends from a macrobiotic community all the way in Alaska came to stay with me (in my tiny Manhattan apartment). This community is called Ionia and you can read more about then at http://www.ionia.org/. They were all born there and raised on a macrobiotic diet. I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to live at the community for 18 days while attending their annual Summer Conference. It was an Amazing experience.

So, I wanted to make sure my kitchen was in order as much as possible. If you're putting that much energy into something, it WILL happen....

First disaster was the BUG in my KITCHEN! I swear, for as long as I've lived on my own I have not once EVER had a bug crawling on my counter in my kitchen. It must have came in with one of the grocery bags. So of course I freak out. I get the only male in the house to kill it before I can even go back into the room. This messes up my entire momentum.

The Menu for tonight was going to be:
Christina Pirello's Pesto sauce with Fettuccini Noodles

Nishime Dish made with Diakon, Carrots, Onion, and Cabbage

Fried Tempeh with Soy Sauce

Sauteed Broccolirabe with Garlic

I started with boiling the water for the Pasta. This step takes the longest! While waiting I made the Pesto Sauce. I accidentally forgot to heat the oil before adding it to the food processor. Whoops. Luckily it came out really good anyway.

I had my good friend Lauden start chopping the vegetables for the Nishime. I figured he'd be a pro at that by now.

For those of you not familiar with Nishime dish, it's basically good vegetable on a LOW flame with very little water. It's quite a healing dish, particularly for the stomach, spleen, and pancreas.

So he works on cutting the veggies, and placing them into the pot, and adding the water. Quite possibly it could have been my fault that the flame was set too high. The water evaporated way too quickly and next thing you know it's burning... quickly removing it from the flame and placing it on top of my wooden cutting board, (my ONLY wooden cutting board) I now have a circular burnt spot to remember this night forever. see photo on top...

Here is where I would have posted the video of me screaming in the kitchen and Lauden trying to put out the smoke behind me....unfortunately that video got deleted from my camera. Soooo upset because I really think you all would have found it very humorous. So, you'll just have to imagine.

At this point, I manage to finish the meal. I make the tempeh which came out very good. Secret is to steam the tempeh before frying which makes it easier for digestion. I can't take credit on the broccolirabe either, that was all Chef Lauden. And finally about 30 minutes later, we have a dinner that's mostly qualified to serve.

Overall, we all agreed it was one of the best meals ever. I guess things work themselves out. The Nishime was not completely edible but we made due.

Thanks to my Alaska friends for a great weekend and a funny blog!!

Here are the remarks:

Labor Day Weekend at Mom and Dad's.

2009-09-06T01:48:00.003-04:00

Visiting my parent's for Labor Day Weekend fun, Mom said to me "I got mushrooms I want to use before they go bad"

I quickly flipped through Christina's Book, I found a Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Pg. 274

I wanted a nice grain to go with this particular meal so I decided to put it over Quinoa. Combined with some fried fish (which Mom insisted on making for my dad) and some steamed greens, the meal came together quite nicely.

This was going to be a quick meal to put together so we definitely didn't have time to prepare the Mushroom Stock that Christina uses. Although, I'm sure that would have made it even more delicious, I substituted vegetable stock from a box. (It was organic and healthy and the best I could do at that time). Take note, when using products that come in boxes or cans, they include a high sodium. Adjust your recipes accordingly as to not over use salt. I left out the additional salt for this recipes because I knew it wouldn't need it.

A lovely meal that even my Dad ate. I highly recommend this sauce for pasta next time.

When the Italians Came to Feast.

2009-09-02T01:01:00.003-04:00

Buon Appetito!

Mama, Papa, and Gina came to supper tonight. (yea, I don't really call them that).

It was cool to test my food out on some true Italianos AND my family is not exactly 100% into this "macro" business. Especially my Dad who loves loves his pastas and meats...and ice cream. I tried my best to represent this meal in that way.

I decided to go with some dishes I already knew:

My Squash Soup for 1st coarse

My tempeh with sweet and soy sauce (mostly to resemble meat)

A great pressed salad (with diakkon to add to a nice detox for all that animal protein)

And a new Christina Pirello recipe: Fettuccine Alfredo pg. 212

Burnt Toast

2009-08-31T19:25:00.001-04:00

Um. Don't laugh! But apparently I can't work my toaster.

I wasn't even trying to make anything! Just trying to toast a wrap to maybe make some pita chips? Why do these new toaster ovens have so many buttons anyway?

I Can't Believe It's Not Cheese?

2009-08-31T02:58:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! Just wanted to say sorry for being delayed with my postings. Lots of good stuff happening these days. But fear not, I'm still continuing my cooking. I wanted to back track to some nights I've experienced and didn't have have chance to share.

Sunday night I made the recipe I've been DYING to make since I've bought Christina's book.

pg. 275 I Can't Believe It's Not Cheese Sauce - from Cooking the Whole Foods Way.

I was having this unbelievable cheese craving this night and I thought, this is going to be perfect! (I must have been going through some major cheese detox).

So, I get all my ingredients together. I didn't exactly have what the recipe calls for. I didn't have sweet white miso so I used my sweet brown rice miso (I think that makes a huge difference). I also didn't have a very good brand of tahini, it wasn't my favorite tasting. (Buying good brands you like make a huge different when you're trying to get the perfect taste).

Let's just say, I believed it was NOT cheese. =/ After much anticipated excitement, unfortunately I was a bit disappointed.

I mean, it looked like cheese maybe? It had a good color to it, but the texture was all wrong. It probably was all my fault. So, I tried to do some improv solutions. To make the sauce a bit thicker, and give it that really gooey cheese texture, I dissolved some kuzu in a little bit of water (about 1 tbs) and stirred until it became thick. That helped a bit. I also thought it just wasn't salty enough. I'm blaming the miso brand for that, however to satisfy my craving of the night I decided to add a bit of sea salt and heat for a minute (just enough to taste). That helped as well.

Overall it was a cool sauce to make. I actually had it 2 days in a row. Once with udon spaghetti noodles and once with semolina penne pasta. I'd love to try this again with different brands next time...however I highly recommend the kuzu for those of you who love your "mozzarella texture cheeses."

I rate this a "B" for Better Luck Next Time. But no hard feelings!! Christina is still the greatest. I'm not giving up on this recipe, I'm positive there is room for improvement.

Try it for yourself!

A little this, A little dulse.

2009-08-26T22:42:00.003-04:00

What is dulse anyway? Honestly, it's one of the seaweeds I've never had much "experience" with. Apparently, you don't even have to cook it. Just toss it in water and rinse? Sure, easy enough.

Tonight I made Christina's Dulse with Corn and Broccoli - pg. 197 from Cooking the Whole Foods Way.

If you're looking for something really really fast and easy, this is your recipe. Literally took me 5 minutes to make. That is, after you cut up the broccoli. And if you don't want to shave the kernels off the cob, then just use frozen corn. I happen to have some fresh corn in the frig which I just picked up on sale. Yippee!

I've been making a bunch of pasta dishes lately, which are perfectly fine, except you need to listen to your body. Pasta is obviously a processed grain. Remember, everything in moderation, so too much of it can not be good. Also, an important part of eating balanced is including those whole grains (grains in their whole form). So, tonight I made some simple rice. But to add a little interest, I split it half short grain brown rice, and half sweet brown rice. Sweet brown rice is what they make Mochi with. Um....you're probably going "huh" right now. For those of you who aren't familiar with Mochi I promise to get into that at a later time.

The rice came out delightful, had it soaking since this after noon (very important to soak your grains!) When it was done, you can just sprinkle it with some gomasio (a condiment made from sesame seeds and sea salt). Guys, come on, I store bought it.

I also made one of my usual (pre-Christina) tempeh dishes. I just steamed up the tempeh, cut into equal pieces and sauteed with sauerkraut juice (cover the top). Hmmmm mmmm. I have developed such a craving for this recipe over time. Don't forget to sprinkle some sauerkraut on top of it when you serve it. It's also good to add just a little umeboshi vinegar.

And that was my meal, simple, pretty quick. Actually, you might find this funny, I put the rice up to cook on very low heat and took off for a run while it was cooking. Now, I don't recommend this for first-time rice cookers. I'm proud to save rice is one thing I've had to cook so many times that I'm comfortable with. If you're going to leave your stove...just make sure there is plenty of water in the pot. Rice will always absorb the water, but too little you might come home to smoke in your kitchen.

There you have it, just another typical day in the life of Marisa.

Try it!

What's so hard about French Fries?

2009-08-26T00:27:00.002-04:00

That's right, you macros! I made real organic potatoes tonight! Christina says they're okay, so they are A-Okay with me.

Now, I really thought this would be a simple process. Chop the potatoes and bake them. Right? I was having left-overs from the previous night. LOVE LEFTOVERS! There was plenty of the tofu/arame salad left over. Hmmm, that sauce is so good...still thinking about it. And I had left-over asparagus from the meal 3 nights ago.

Along with the tofu salad I sauteed the asparagus in a little water in a frying pan. I didn't really follow a recipe, just thought of things I could do from watching my mom in the past. After they were nice and bright green I thought, "Well, they're just boiled and won't have much taste". So I drained the water and added a little extra-virgin olive oil. For all you chefs out there, this is totally NOT the correct way of doing things, I know. After the oil got VERY hot (of course), I had to remove it from the flame, but not before just sprinkling a little salt over it (again not your typical cooking method). But the pan was hot enough for the asparagus to continue cooking, which means the salt was able to cook in. And if that still wasn't enough taste, I shaved some Rice Cheese Mozzarella on top.

If there are people laughing at me out there... I don't care! It tasted great!

Onto the French Fries. What did I do wrong??
btw, pg. 158 of Cooking the Whole Foods Way.

I bought Yukon gold potatoes like Christina says. Except, they were really small. Is that normal? I don't even know what typical size they're supposed to be. Maybe these were baby Yukon? Whatever, it was all they had in my local grocery store. So, I tried to cut them into 1/2" pieces, as specified. Some were probably smaller than others and I'm pretty sure that had a lot to do with the burning. Next time, adjusting the cooking time might be something to consider. Way to go, Marisa. Anyway, it wasn't a huge success.

What a bummer! I really thought I'd have a little treat tonight. I'm a French Fry Feign! If you don't believe me, just ask my boyfriend. There are times when I've almost bite off his finger for touching my fries. Marisa doesn't share her fries! Don't get me wrong I still ate most of them.

See for yourself the outcome.

But overall, still another satisfying meal.

Try it! But the right way.

Tempeh or Tofu?

2009-08-24T22:37:00.003-04:00

Apparently it doesn't matter because I HAD SUCH AN AWESOME MEAL TONIGHT!

It was just perfectly well balanced and quite delicious! Let's go into some background info on what a marco-ly balanced meal is. (macro-ly, I think I just made that word up).

According to some macro counselors, in order for food to be considered a meal, there must be a grain and a vegetable present. Hmmm. Maybe. However, if you ask me, I feel best when there is a grain (or pasta), a leafy green veggie, plus another type of veggie (root, round), and a PROTEIN. Being very active, I've always felt that I needed more protein in my diet. This doesn't mean to eat Animal Meat (except fish) but to add more other protein products.

I have selected my meal accordingly. This recipe is from A DIFFERENT Christina Pirello cookbook, but Christina's nonetheless. I have purchased my second book, "Christina Cooks, Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Whole Foods but Were Afraid to Ask"

And out of this book, I have chosen to prepare pg. 216 Arame with Fried Tempeh (except instead of tempeh I used tofu)

According to my personal macro counselor, Ms. Virgina Harper, at this point in my life I can use a little extra sea vegetable and tofu. Therefore, I have altered this recipe just slightly to suit my daily life (as all macros should do)... I'm also out of tempeh right now and tofu was more economical.

There are four parts to this recipe. 1- preparing the sea veggies, 2 - preparing the tofu (or tempeh) 3 - making the dressing (WHICH IS OUT OF THIS WORLD!) and 4 - creating a whole salad.

I don't know where she comes up with this! Honestly, it was out of this world! And so balancing. A point that Christina makes in her book is that, not only is Arame high in minerals and nutrients, but it does NOT have that "sea food" smell or taste. It's quite mild which makes it excellent for salad dishes such as this.

Oh, 1 more thing, I left the pepper out because I don't really like peppers. Ha! So feel free to alter any of these recipes to your own discression.

To accompany this meal, I made brown rice (which was left over) and tossed some lightly roasted almonds in it to give it a nice flavor. And I made steamed greens including Collard Greens and the tops of the radishes I had bought for this meal.

mmm mmMMMMM. It was all so yummy, I was singing while I ate. (not the best of ideas).

So there you have it, a grain, a green, additional veggies, sea vegetable, and a protein. That was one complete and balanced meal.

Try it! Love it!

And the results are in!

2009-08-23T01:25:00.000-04:00

Here's what the critics had to say:

Dinner Guests

2009-08-23T00:35:00.002-04:00

I LOVE ENTERTAINING!

I don't usually get many dinner guests, as you can image my apartment is only so big, so today was a special treat. It was my first time cooking for five! Aside from the fact that I only own place settings for four, I improvised with the salad dishes and it all worked out.

Tonight's Menu:

1st Course: Original Butternut Squash Soup

2nd Course: Fusilli with Asparagus, Wild Mushrooms, and SunDried Tomatoes served with Marinated Tempeh and Sauteed Kale - pg. 227 from Cooking the Whole Foods Way, by Christina Pirello

Dessert: Coconut Milk Cookie Dough Ice Cream

The squash soup was incredibly easy. This did not come directly from Christina Pirello's Cookbook so I'd like to share the reciepe with you.

1 whole butternut squash

1 medium onion

Sweet White Miso to taste

Salt

I first peeled the butternut squash and cut it into square peices about 1" cubes. The idea is to make the peices about the same size so it all cooks evenly. Put the squash into a deep enough pot, add water to just enough cover the top of the squash. Bring to a boil and add about 2 pinches of salt (NOT before it comes to a boil). Cover pot and let simmer for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, diced the onion. After 15 minutes add onion dices to the squash and re-cover. Cook for about another 15 to 25 minutes. I had to cook mine for an extra 10 since the squash wasn't quite soft enough. Use a hand blender to mash when done cooking.

Dissolve enough miso for taste (about 3 tablespoons for the whole squash) in cold water and add to soup. Do NOT bring the soup to a boil after you add the miso for it kills the good live bacteria in the miso. If you're not going to serve all the soup in one sitting, it might be better to add a little miso to individual bowls. About 1 tsp per cup of soup.

Onto Christina Pirello's Fusilli...

All I can say is WOW!! This is a perfect balanced main dish. The vegetables give it a great variety which is very important when it comes to getting proper nutrition from foods. I wanted to figure out what to do with the remainder of the sundried tomatoes I had, so check out the video...

I must say, I'm learning more and more about food from cooking. For example, mushroom's actually create liquid when you cook them. So when you get to the point when you add the mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and asparagus to the sauce pan, I was afraid they'd just burn. However, they all seem to cook down creating a liquid at the bottom. Hmm. Interesting. Learn something new everyday. So just follow her instructions and don't be afraid to get "risky".

The mirin certainly adds a different flavor to the dish, compared to my last fusilli and sundried tomatoes. Also, this recipe calls for a cream sauce which you'll be surprised what it's made out of. NO DAIRY!

If you're tired of ordinary pasta and tomato dishes, I highly reccommend experimenting with this one. It's got an alfredo flare to it, without the heaviness.

BIG TIP: Since my dinner guests biked all the way from Brooklyn to Uptown Manhattan, they arrived late. My beautiful creamy sauce tasted best when it was fresh out of the pot, so be sure to serve right away and time your guest's arrival just right. Either way it was delic!

And of course, to go with it I just sauteed some Kale in water (use a cover) and wha Laa!

Dessert was bought in the store, let's not get carried away here. Dairy and Sugar free of course. Delicous, no joke. Coconut Milk Ice Cream is the Sh**! My favorites Vanilla Bean, but when they're all out you end up with Cookie Dough.

Check out the pics and you be the judge.

The Divine Pasta Dish...more Basil!

2009-08-20T01:12:00.001-04:00

I had all this leftover Basil from my parents' backyard that I wanted to use. So I flipped through Christina's book and found the perfect recipe (to go with my Chilean Sea Bass of course)

Fusilli with Basil and Kale
pg. 224 of Cooking The Whole Foods Way.

What a treat!! I must say, this one took more work then I thought it would. There's a lot of chopping involved, a lot of paying attention to detail. This is NOT the recipe you can just throw in the pan and walk away. You need to consistantly be standing over the stove and ever minute or 2 throw another ingredient into the pan. I don't know about you but those recipes always make me nervous. I'm always afraid I'm going to turn around and the pan's going to be black with flames coming out of it. Ah!

Here's a tip that I thought was really helpful. READ THE RECIPE AHEAD OF TIME!
Um, Duh! Yea, I don't always do that, big down fall. And here's another tip, it was really helpful to read all the ingredients, amount, and descriptions of how they should be cut before hand and do the preparation first. If you don't, you'll never have enough time to prepare this dish the correct way. (Smokes will definitely be happening for you). I just bought these little preparation bowls and I love them! Makes me feel so professional in the kitchen =)

In the end, I must say this dish was delightfully, light and yummy. The sauce doesn't come out to be a heavy pasta sauce. In fact, I was first afraid I made too much Fusilli with it. But when you mix it all together it turns out to be just the perfect amount of sauce that doesn't over power but it so incredibly tasty! And I didn't have to prepare a separate "greens" dish because the Kale is mixed right in.

Anything else I want to say? Oh yea! Take her word when it says serve ready away. It was best right hot out of the pan. =0

Just thinking about it is making me hungry all over again......

Try it out!!

The Famous Chilean Sea Bass

2009-08-20T00:56:00.001-04:00

Hmmmm Fish!!

Okay all you hardcore macros out there, yes, I eat fish and I love it!

I'm a firm believer that everything in moderation is good for you. And as long as it's good quality food, cooked with a well-balanced meal, it will sit perfectly well with you and it can be quite a treat.

I must give a Huge Thanks out to my Mom for this meal, for without her, there would have been no Sea Bass. So here we go:

I know I said I was going to cook my way through Christina Pirello's Cookbooks, and I am...however I sort of concockted this recipe on my own. Through inspiration of Google's finest Sea Bass recipes, this is what I settled on:

1lb of Chilean Sea Bass, kept in a whole piece

To create a marinated I used:
1/3 cup of saki
1/3 cup of Mirin (a Japanese like wine)
1/3 cup of Miso (sweet white miso)
1 tbsp of shoyu sauce (or soy sauce)
2 tsp of brown rice syrup (I don't use sugar, so this is an excellent sweetener)

I mixed the ingredients in a bowl, adding the miso last. The miso must dissolve completely in the liquids. A wisk helps.

Put the Sea Bass in a bowl and cover with the marinate. Let sit in the frig for a few hours. The longer it marinated the more it will absorb. I had mine sit for about 3 hours, it can go for 4 too.

When it's ready to cook, I put it in a pan with the marinade. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

I diced up about a half an onion and sauted it in just a few tsp of extra virgin olive oil just till they were almost cooked. The hint I got was when you can smell sweet onions they are ready. I transfered the onions to the Sea Bass so they sat on top and made a nice cover.

Place the Sea Bass in oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Check middle of Sea Bass to make sure it's cooked and not raw. Although the tender the better.

Oh. My. God! This was some of the best Sea Bass I've ever eatten!! And to put it to the ulimate test, I had 2 Chileans test it out. I mean who would know better. Just so happens 1 of them was my wonderful boyfriend, and the other his wonderful sister who happens to be one of the finest whole foods chefs ever!

5 stars all the way!!!

Try it, you'll love it!

Breaking in the kitchen.

2009-08-19T00:51:00.000-04:00

On Saturday I bought Christina Pirello's book, "Cooking The Whole Foods Way." It's actually the older version of "Now 100% Vegan!" However, it was the last book left in the store and it looked like a great place to start...and here we go.

Meal #1
My first meal was inspired by the basil leaves that my father INSISTED were the most delicious smelling leaves he's ever smelt. .....??? If that makes sense. But they were quite good. So, being the Italiano I am, obviously the first recipe called for PESTO!

pg. 278 - Fresh Basil Pesto.

So simple, Sooooo delicious! I couldn't believe this was actually good for you. Something this good has to be oh so bad.

Few mistakes popped up:
1 - accidentally misread the teaspoons for tablespoons. Came out a bit extra saltier than called for. (Hey! I said I had no idea how to cook!)
2 - I didn't have the avocado oil it called for so I used extra virgin olive oil instead. I don't really know the difference but it tasted just fine to me. I'm sure if you speak to Christina directly she'll have some explaintion for you.

All and all my Bullet Blender works magical. About 4 minutes later I had a creamy yummy pesto! I made my favorite "healthy" pasta. Udon Noodles (I think they taste just like linguine) and saturated them in my pesto and Wha La! I had an unbelieveable Italian Pasta dish.

Try it!

Crazy Idea!

2009-08-18T23:54:00.000-04:00

A new "crazy" idea for a Blog came to me tonight, after cooking another delicious meal from Christina Pirello's Whole Foods Cookbooks. Ridiculously inspired after the movie that just came out "Julie & Julia". For those of you not familiar, this girl Julie (looking for her life's purpose) decides to cook her way through Julia Child's Cookbook and then writes a Blog on it.

I'm going to cook my way through Christina Pirello's Cookbooks! And inspire all to live Happy Healthy and Whole Lives! (in theory.....Or, I'm going to be the next person to create a ridiculous blog which serves absolutely no purpose other than taking up space in cyberland.)

Let's be positive! I'm a girl with absolutely NO COOKING EXPERIENCE WHAT SO EVER! Aside from what I've taught myself (following word for word recipes) I have no idea what half the ingredients are. Not to long ago, I didn't even know how to boil rice. Boil?

However, I've always LOVED to eat...the Italiano Way. Pasta Pasta and more Pasta were my 3 favorite food groups. I know food and I know what I like. It wasn't too long ago that I was a Meat and Cheese lover. If either of those was not include (with my pasta) than it wasn't a complete meal. It wasn't till a huge life altering wake up call that forced me to seek alternate ways of eatting, did I realize what food is all about. When don't live to eat, we eat to live! Our bodies are our temple, and we should respect everything we feed it. However, who says we can't enjoy ourselves at the same time?

After finding Macrobiotics and healing myself from the incurable Inflammatory Bowel Disease, I'm ready to branch out and start enjoying my food again. That's where I've found Christina Pirello. I'm Italian, she's Italian...I get it! We live to eat! So why not eat delicous wholesome foods that can nurious us, give us great energy, and allow us to live fulfilled lives.

Hopefully this blog with give some useful insight from the perspective of someone who really knows nothing, other than her own life experiences. Like the saying, if I can do it...anyone can do it. With a little bit of humor, sacasim, and sometimes a life lesson, here's to a journey in the making.

Bon Appetit!