Thanking my bike. And the guy who married me.

I'm feeling out of sorts today. My cousin's husband has a brain tumor (glioblastoma). He was going through his life as an amazing husband, father and friend and then, Bam. Brain tumor at age 48. There's something that tells me he will be okay, but my heart aches for him and his family. This is on my mind.

I had a few different ideas for Day 15 of blogging every day, but to change up my mood, I decided to throw them out and make a list of some of the things I am thankful for today. For me, practicing gratitude is one of the quickest ways to feel better--even if I'm not feeling the least bit grateful when I start doing it.

1. The color of autumn leaves (even here in northern California there is some color!). I was driving today imagining being in New England where the whole landscape would be painted, but the pops of color here and there make for lovely unexpected eye candy.

2. Outer Aisle (where I buy my food). My farming friends, Christine & Eric Taylor, opened a farmstand which is actually a store.  This food nourishes me in so many ways. Today I bought gorgeous kale, a red pepper (they still have peppers!), pears, garlic, granny smith apples, fennel, beets, a small red leaf head of lettuce, dates, eggs, sprouted corn tortillas and sauerkraut. I'll let you know what I make.

3. My bike.  I spent too much time inside today. When it came time to teach yoga this evening I pulled on my new wool hat, hopped on my bike and felt the cool air against my cheeks as I rode the half mile to the yoga studio. Did I mention that I love riding my bike?

4. The guy who married me. (I'm not a big fan of the word husband--when I say it I have to use a funny accent-- I know, strange. It's just my own hang-up). He's in the kitchen right now doing dishes, which he does every night regardless of how many pots and pans I used. (I am a messy cook. I'm trying to get better about it.) He also puts up with all of my shit. (and he cleans up shit too--not mine, the kids').

There are so many more, but I need to go say goodnight to Finn (who is hopefully already asleep) and then spend some time with the guy in the kitchen (who will hopefully be finished cleaning it). My mood is looking better already.

so here's a speedy list: I'm also thankful for the two boys who call me 'mama', my friends who love me even though I'm not good on the phone, my family, dog & chickens, chocolate, yoga.....(I'll say the rest right before bed. That should seal the deal on sweet dreams, right?))

(thanks for reading!)

Image: Print by Nick Dewar.

Why butter is better. Paula Dean is right.

How to make your own butter from The Art of Doing Stuff

Butter is better. We knew it all along, but here's an attempt at understanding why.

I started researching fats about six months ago when I started the GAPS diet and learned about how unhealthy it is to cook with olive oil at high heat (which I'd been doing for years). I'm compiling a lot of information, so I'll dole it out a little at a time as I begin to organize it in my brain (if that's possible!).

Basically all fats and oils are a combination of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Those high in saturated fats (butter, coconut oil, lard, tallow, etc) are more stable than unsaturated fats. Saturation refers to the fact the free carbon bonds of the molecule are occupied with hydrogen atoms. There are no free electrons ready to interact with other substances in your body.

Monounsaturated fats (olive oil) have one double carbon bond. They are "unsaturated" because there are no hydrogen atoms linked to the bonds. They are also relatively stable-- but not as stable as the saturated.

The carbon bonds of polyunsaturated fats have unpaired electrons ready to react with other substances. We need to ingest these fats because they include the Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) that our body can't produce on its own. However, we don't want to expose the fats to heat because they breakdown easily and create 'free radicals' which wreak havoc on our system--damage cells, DNA/RNA, cause mutations, etc.  We also ingest far too much Omega 6 fats and not enough Omega 3. Most of the polys are primarily Omega 6. (more on that later).

I went looking for the details on grapeseed oil (a polyunsaturated oil). We've heard that it has a high smoke point which should mean that it is suitable for cooing-- in other words, maybe it doesn't break down?

I'm finding out that smoke point has "nothing to do with the health benefits of an oil" (Barringer). The smoke point refers to when an oil breaks down to glycerides and free fatty acids and causes the oil to smoke. This affects the taste of the oil-- so we don't want it to happen. However, even when exposed to low heat, polyunsaturated oils still create free radicals.

The articles that I found explaining this referred me to the primary research of Dr. Mary Enig, a lipid biochemist renown for her research on healthy fats. She wrote: Eat Fat, Lose Fat (with Sally Fallon) and Know Your Fats: A complete primer... I haven't read these books, but I'm interested.

So there it is. I'm just starting to understand all of this, so I'll be posting more on this, including what oils to use in what circumstances....

In the meantime, slather on the butter.

Sources:
"The Truth about Saturated Fat", by Sally Fallon & Mary Enig, PhD (excerpt from Nourishing Traditions).
"Cooking with Grape Seed Oil or Rice Bran Oil: Is it safe?" by Caroline Barringer (link to original article is on this page)

free food at Ikea! --and why I didn't have gravlax today.

gravadlax (not my photo. I didn't get any.)

Bodhi and I tagged along with J to Santa Clara this weekend. He had to be there for a ski trade show. Finn stayed with the grandparents, but the little nursling had to come along. [He started walking this weekend!] As I'm sure you saw in yesterday's post, I went to visit my dear friend Jennifer in Pacifica on Saturday. Today I hit Ikea, along with everyone else in the Silicon Valley. Oh my. Insanity.

I made it through the showroom without passing out from hunger and then got in line at the restaurant. I have never seen such a crowd at an Ikea restaurant. I had Bodhi in a front pack carrier and a bag on my shoulder which was starting to ache. I was trying to keep an eye on the cold case to see if there would be gravlax--which I love. We were in one of those lines that snakes around those metal dividers and I noticed that a group of people two rows ahead helped themselves to 4 plates of gravlax! Oh no...they're going to be out! (obsessing) They'll replenish it. (reassuring) They'll have some by the time I get up there. 

I noticed that the people ahead of me were grabbing four desserts between the two of them. Odd. I mean, I love dessert too, but four huge pieces of cake? They inquired about the gravlax...."10 minutes" the woman behind the line says. Ten minutes?! There's no way I can wait here in the cafeteria line with a baby and people trying to get by me for another ten minutes. I anxiously looked at the line on the other side to see if there was some over there. Nope. I seriously considered waiting and then realized that it wasn't rational.

I settled for the overcooked poached salmon with steamed, bland vegetables. It was just plain fine damnit.

At the cashier I mentioned the crowd and she informed me that everyone was there because lunch is free if you spend $100 in the store. Bonus. Ahh. That explains the four desserts. Maybe I should have bought food for the road trip home.

I found a high chair and shared a big round table with some other people. I'm telling you, the place was insane. 

Image credit

Saturday in photos.

I went to Pacifica today to visit a friend. 

Salty air. 

Sky & water 

pale blues, yellows & pink. 

one hundred people fishing for dungeoness crab on the pier. 

No computer access today--so day 12 of posting daily will have to be in pictures. 

typing on my phone is not fun.

                                 

Sesame Cookies--gluten & grain free

I love these cookies from Elana's Pantry. She is my number one source for gluten free baking recipes. Elana perfects her recipes like a chemist, systematically testing out various ingredients and amounts. I also love that she uses almond flour or coconut flour rather than some of the more questionable 'gluten free' baking ingredients that I see in packaged/processed baked goods in the stores.

I substitute raw honey where she uses agave syrup. I'm sure agave is fine, I just choose raw honey because I can get it locally and it is less processed. Oh--and I don't usually bake with grapeseed oil (or other polyunsaturated oils)--so I subbed butter this time-- coconut oil would work too. I've been reading so much lately about how polyunsaturated oils go rancid with heat creating free radicals. I don't want those. (More on this in a future post--I'll provide links and research).

These are quick & easy to make, full of protein, and so delicious:
(adapted from this recipe at elanaspantry.com)

1 ¼ cups blanched almond flour
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
⅓ cup raw honey
⅓ cup tahini
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup sesame seeds

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl (except for seeds). Mix wet ingredients in another bowl. Mix wet ingredients into dry. Form into small balls and roll in sesame seeds. Flatten a bit. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Makes about 14-20 cookies.

Yum. Enjoy!

talk nice.

I love the voices in my head. I wouldn't trade them for anything. But lately, they've been bringing me down with their endless commentary and criticisms.

Last night I went to the first class in a series with Christa Rypins. She is the owner of Intelligent Body Movement Studio (where I teach yoga once a week) and a renown teacher of yoga, Pilates and the Franklin Method of imagery. The class is called Digest for Happiness. Christa shows us how to visualize our digestive system to help it work better through breath and imagery. Very cool. You wouldn't believe how transformative this stuff can be.

Here's the example she used to introduce us to the practice. We did the simple exercise of inhaling our shoulders up to our ears and then exhaling while releasing them down our backs. This is something I do daily and remind my yoga students to do throughout a class. After doing it the way I just described we then used 'self-talk' while doing the exercise-- saying (in our heads or out loud) "My shoulders are healthy and flexible". Just that simple change alone increased the movement of our shoulders and the positive feelings while doing it. We also tried 'mood' talk: shrugging while saying "I am loved, I am loving."-- it may sound out there to you, but try it-- it sure feels nice. Anatomical visualizations and metaphors were next. We did the exercise while visualizing the way the scapula bones glide up and down the back and also while comparing the movement to a waterfall. By the end of this my neck felt long and my shoulders were so relaxed I could practically reach my knees with my fingertips.

How will I use what I learned? First of all, it brought my attention to how negative the voices in my head have been lately. I'm always telling yoga students: "Talk to yourself like you would talk to your best friend", but I have definitely not been practicing this. I'm going to start integrating imagery and self talk into my yoga class and personal practice to help increase relaxation and mind-body awareness.

I feel better already.

How are the voices in your head?

Go to your happy place.

Don't I look happy?

I've been caught in a bad place for the past week. It's like I've been wearing dark glasses on a stormy day. Maybe it's the time of year...or the serious sleep deprivation....or the damn month-long candida diet (which I haven't been totally faithful to as you can see from the figalicious post).
Since I can't change the time of year or force my baby to sleep and I need to stick to the diet to get rid of allergies.....I'm in desperate need of a change in perspective.

Jora's post yesterday reminded me of this, So I'm copying the idea.

It always amazes me how a simple tweak in my surroundings can completely shift my energy. My neurons begin to fire differently creating new pathways and BAM! I feel better. Even if only for a moment, it helps. (Have I mentioned that I'm a total brain chemistry geek?)


Here it goes, a list of things I can do to change my perspective:
(I will refer to this list and add to it as I remember things)

Step outside
lie down under a tree and look up.
Go for a walk (even with the kidlets)
Yoga
Ride my bike to get somewhere--riding downhill with no helmet makes me smile
Go mountain biking
Listen to music/dance
Laugh
Cuddle with my boys
Make a cup of tea
Take a hot shower or bath
Climb rocks
Call a nurturing and/or funny friend
Bake something
Cook with no time limit and no kids around and eat slowly with friends
Get an adjustment from Dr. Beau (too bad he's so far away now)
Go skiing
Go swimming in the ocean
Sit where I can see the ocean
Go to a farm or a farmer's market
Read Rumi or some other mystical poetry
Read something else helpful or inspiring
Go somewhere alone--coffee shop, bookstore, massage
Eat sushi

What's on your list?