The "Expert" Advice we all need

Hello Positive Eaters,

Since I started this blog, I try to remind all of you that I am not an "expert." I am just on a journey to make the act of eating a positive experience for myself and the people I come in contact with. Given the holiday season, you will soon see all sorts of "experts" coming out of the woodwork offering all sorts of "expert" advice. These "experts" want to tell you all about your body and how you should treat it.

I hold a high amount of regard for people who possess a large body of knowledge and wisdom. This displays a commitment and enthusiasm towards a specific subject of interest. I also believe that sharing this knowledge and enthusiam is important for the world. However, holding onto a body of knowledge and using it as a source of power to control people's actions and behaviors is absurd.

This idea was first propogated by Plato, who felt that an intellectual elite (meaning himself and his friends) were to be privy to truth and knowledge and responsible for disseminating this at "appropriate times" to the general population. This may or may not work out. I am not sure...I unfortunately did not fall into the ranks of the elite and do not know Who Shot JFK or if extra terrestials actual run the whole show.

I do know this. The intelligence of the human organism is provided in its entirety at birth. The more we learn about ourselves and the more we tune into our own bodies the more we will know how to treat it. This is not to say ignore the work and words of experts. I read and fill myself with their knowledge regularly. I use this is a pathway from brain back into my body. Real wisdom comes from learning and applying it to yourself as an individual.

With nourishment it is important to always make your eating choices "your eating choice". How often do you hear someone say, "I've been eating seaweed all week because Dr. Octagon says it will help me lose weight." Check in with your body...maybe a piece of advice inspires a choice...only your body can tell you if it is right for you. A person is always operating from their own plane. A priest will tell you to seek God, a doctor will give you a prescription or surgery, a nutrititionist will tell you to eat healthier, an energy worker will tell you to balance your chakras all for the same problem. The truth is all these experts can be "right" at the same time..it is you that will decide the path that works best for you. The most powerful educators see themselves as guides and not as an instructor. Even geniuses were once pupils...such people can only be guided in a safe and positive direction. They will reach heights that no instructor can ever lead them.

You are the genius of your own organism. I hope what is written on this blog inspires you to realize this intelligence. Be safe and enjoy your journey!

Stay Positive,

Matthew

No Egg Nog!!!!

Hi Positive Eaters,

When I was a kid the holidays were full of anticipation and excitement. For many children they are waiting to hear hoofs on the rooftop and go rushing downstairs to find presents under the tree. I was rushing past the Christmas tree and into the kitchen for that magical elixir known as egg nog!

The first glass was served up on Thanksgiving by my father in a tiny glass (that I always wished was bigger). Peppering the top of this delicous thick liquid was a sprinkling of nutmeg that seemed to make my mouth come alive. This was the ultimate positive experience with food!

Now that I try to make most of my own food...I checked out recipes for egg nog. It should come as no suprise that egg nog calls for the use of raw eggs. Well...I simply am not Rocky Balboa. The idea of cracking a couple raw eggs into pitcher with milk, sugar and spices did not sit entirely well with me.

This weekend I met a friend at the Revitalive Cafe in Newburyport and saw on their menu "No Egg Nog". This was a vegan joint so it did not suprise me. I quickly ordered a glass and asked them how to make it. It was incredible! I still need to try my hand at making it myself but after some internet research I compiled together several recipes to get the concept down and came up with one of my own. If you beat me to it let me know if it works.

3 Cups of Coconut Milk or Vanilla Soy/Almond Milk
2 Ripe Bananas
1 Vanilla Bean or a 1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
4 Tablespoons Agave Nectar or Maple Syrup

Blend all ingredients


I plan to make this up for myself (and maybe a few friends) while watching "It's A Wonderful Life" on a snowy December evening. Okay...I got a thing for the holidays :)

Stay Positive,

Matthew

The Heart Attack Grill

Hi Positive Eaters,

My friend Jeff sent me a hillarious/grotesque/thought provoking/mortifying video today. As many of you know my goal is to bring as much fun and positivity to living a positive and healthy lifestyle as possible. Let's face it - we crave things that are attractive and pleasurable. We will pursue those things with reckless abandon leaving far behind the concerns of our friends, finances and especially our body.

Eating healthy is often seen as the "right" thing to do. However, it is caught with the stigma of being boring. This is simply not the case. Eating healthy makes us feel good, look attractive and brings a sense of adventure and unknown into many of of our food choices. These are all the same categories that make up a great suspense or romance novel.

The establishment in this video is attempting to stimulate all those pleasure centers with their outrageously awful menu. I watched this video and I felt sick to my stomach...however saw the humor in it as well. I will post it below and offer up several questions to ponder. I cannot wait to see what comments and emails I get regarding this.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

- Does this place get a pass because they are being truthful?
- What are your thoughts on the "you only live once" mentality?
- Should this place even be legal?
- What can healthy restaurants learn from this?
- Would you ever eat at the Heart Attack Grill

I cannot pass judgment. I used to eat a one pound hamburger and guzzle down a large milk shake every Monday just to make my friends laugh...until I landed in a real hospital.

Stay Positive,

Matthew

Vaccination Fascination

Hi Everyone,

The flu vaccination seems to be the hip thing nowadays. Everyone is lining up to get one and the blog boards are abuzz. Everywhere I turn people are getting injections, asking about where they can get an injection or asking me if I am going to get one. I feel like I walked into a scene from the movie Requiem for a Dream (I would post a clip below...but the movie is a little too graphic for this blog).

Many people are asking me my take on the flu vaccine. Whether it be swine flu or this season's version of influenza, there is a lot of questions about the safety of the vaccine and who needs to get a shot. I am not a medical professional and am not at liberty to say who needs to be vaccinated and who does not. I will say a couple things about this matter though.

As many of you know, a vaccine contains a severely weakened or dormant version of a virus. This is injected into someone so that their body might build up the appropriate antibodies against the virus. I believe Louis Pasteur got the credit for this medical breakthrough and even won a Nobel prize for it. Vaccines are responsible for eradicating epidemics and thanks to vaccines certain diseases now only exist in history books. They truly are a medical marvel.

Many of us receive vaccines shortly after we are born and throughout our childhood. We go on to live happy lives free from the dangers of tuberculosis, polio and the measles. Today's children can expect to receive between 12 and 16 vaccinations before they reach age 13. This is up from the standard 4-6 vaccinations received commonly during the sixties and seventies.

Many of the studies done on vaccinations prove them to be perfectly safe. However, many studies are only focusing on the safety of that one particular vaccine. The most toxic chemicals in most vaccines are the preservatives used to keep the vaccines fresh since they are now mass produced (once again a difference between vaccines today and vaccines forty years ago). Many of these preservative's contain heavy metals such as mercury. The amount of preservative in one vaccine is perfectly safe....the amount of preservative in 12-16 vaccinations is up to debate. Studies regarding the safety of multiple vaccinations and their safety over a particular time span are hard to come by.

It is my belief that vaccinations are essential for certain diseases and save the lives of people in certain populations. My father, for example, is a transplant recipient and a strain of the flu could land him in the hospital. I on the other hand will not be receiving any vaccinations. The most important defense against disease is maintaining one's overall health. I work hard to maintain my immune system so that I can keep the number of vaccinations and chemicals in my body at a bare minimum.

I find it interesting that people line up to receive the flu vaccine in order to protect their health. I see no such lines outside health clubs (which would be great since I work at one!). We are far from a fruit and vegetable shortage in this country. Companies provide vaccinations for everyone of their employees, even in this down economy but they will cut health care benefits. They scoff at the idea of initiating a company wide wellness plan when profit purses are thin, yet hand out pharmaceutical company sponsored pamphlets regarding the dangers of Swine Flu (or as my friend Steve calls it Bacon Lung). There is definitely a vaccination fascination abounding within our society.

This blog is about making "health care" a fun and positive experience. I will do my part in helping to maintain your health during this cold and flu season. I will post some great immune boosting recipes along with remedies I learned from many of you. Whether you are vaccinated or not it is always important to protect your health.

Stay Positive,

Matthew

PS

If you get vaccinated for the Swine flu make sure you ask the nurse if it is okay to eat pork chops now :)

Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque and Pumpkin Ice Cream!

Here are two great fall recipes I've thrown together in the last couple weeks. The first one is a soup recipe that I adapted from a recipe I found in Eating Well magazine. The author was cookbook author Nancy Baggett.

The second recipe is one I came up with, spinning off my summer post on vegan ice cream. Please let me know if you try either of these. I am so happy fall is here! There are so many delicous recipes you can make with seasonal vegetables!

Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque

2 large Sweet Potatoes
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion
1 large Yellow Onion
3 Cups Tomato Juice (I used juice from a juicer, canned is an option as well)
1 chopped Red Pepper or chile pepper depending on how spicy you want it
2 tablespoons minced Ginger
1 teaspoon Allspice
15-20 ounces of vegetable broth
2/3 cup natural Peanut Butter
Optional 1/2 cup tomato pulp from juicer

1. Bake or steam sweet potatoes until soft and peelings fall of naturally.
2. Heat olive oil in large sauce pan and add onion. Cook until onion browns and then add garlic and ginger. Stir in juice, peppers and allspice. When mixture boils back off to a simmer.
3. Remove peelings from sweet potato. Take one potato and blend it in a blender with vegetable broth and peanut butter. Take the other potato, chop it up and add it to soup pot.
4. Combine puree and soup mixture. If you ar using the pulp from the juicer stir it in at this time as well. This is definitely a hearty soup and you are sure to enjoy it.

Coconut Pumpkin Ice Cream!

2 cans of Coconut Milk
2/3 a can of Pumpkin Puree
3/4 cup Maple Syrup
Spices: Ginger, Cloves, Cinnamon and Nutmeg or Pumpkin Pie Spice

1. Blend coconut milk, pumpkin puree and spices
2. Place in ice cream maker and add maple syrup to taste
3. Let this spin in ice cream maker for twenty five minutes or more.
4. Add to re-used and washed ice cream pint containers.

This ice cream goes great with warm ginger bread!

Stay Positive,

Matthew

Restaurant Review: Grezzo - Raw Food in Newburyport!

Hello Positive Eaters,

The circulating buzz around a raw food restaurant in Newburyport was just too much to take. On just their third day of operation, I found myself sitting at the "bar" at their State Street location in the charming port city that acts as a second home to me.

Many people do not know what to expect when entering a raw food restaurant. I fortunately have visited several of these establishments over the the past couple years and I took immediate notice of the distinct aroma. These type of restaurants seem to manufacture their own atmosphere. More than just a distinct scent, a feeling of freshness and life just kind of hangs in the air. The walls of Grezzo are adorned with beautiful murals of painted vegetables and this merges with a distinct, sophisticated ambiance. Do not expect birkenstocks, dreadlocks and Ani Difranco blaring through the sound system, these people are here to serve you fantastic food and an amazing dining experience.

The place was empty when I walked in and I noticed many people wanted to come in and "just look at the menu." The idea of raw food is very new to New England and Grezzo does a great job of taking off the counterculture edge that can accompany the words "vegan" and "raw." The staff wear typical waitstaff attire and are extremely friendly. Within fifteen minutes the place started to fill up and a waitress named Molly was carefully explaining the wide array of local organic produce they use in their food as well as introducing them to the uniques superfoods they would experience in their different lunch choices.

I started off with a Raspberry Kombucha Spritzer. This is made like a mixed drink, except kombucha (a fermented tea product) is used rather than alcohol. Grezzo featured many organic wines and alcohol choices. Being a temperant man, I did not try any of these options. My Baby Arugula Salad was everything you would expect from a raw food place, teeming with life and amazing ingredients. A citrus based dressing drizzled locally grown Arugula and the salad featured, pickled asparagus, grapefruit, whole almonds, goji and incan berries as well as a nut based cheese. This salad could serve as an entire meal for some people.

My main entree was the Seaweed and Wild Mushroom Bistro Burger. This looked nothing like a burger but featured such incredible flavor and texture, I did not notice. This was served with dehydrated sweet potato chips. I definitely still steer towards baked chips with olive oil and sea salt...but they added an autumn color to the plate.

The woman behind the bar, Brenda, suggested a fantastic smoothie called a Goji Julius which was served thick and was almost like an entire dessert itself. The waitress Molly refused to let me leave without trying one of their chocolate cookies. This "dessert" featured raw cacao, blue green algae and peppermint oil. A must try for all those who visit Grezzo.

Before leaving, I met the owner Alissa Cohen. Alissa is an established restaurant operator and "living foods" expert. I gave her my best wishes on her new venture. I will definitely return to Grezzo and spread the word about its incredible offerings. The North Shore may finally possess its go to spot for fantastic healthy dining.

Stay Positive,

Matthew

visit their website:

http://grezzorestaurant.com/newburyport/

Prana - The one nutrient behind everything

If you have ever been to a yoga class or seen some earthy crunchy types walking around you've may encountered this word, Prana, before. This is not some mystical cult or voodoo magic that is practiced by a secret society. It simply means energy. Energy is the one thing that exists and has always existed, as far as we can tell. There is no explanation for it, energy is just there and always will be! I like the word Prana, because it sounds cool and I got admit I own a couple of those shirts with the cool logo I posted above.

The Kripalu Psychologist Stephen Cope describes Prana like this:

Prana is life force - the stuff of those million, zillion stars circling and exploding. Human beings receive it directly into the body through the air. We take it in other ways as well - through live foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, through fresh water, through living, breathing, trees and vegetation, and, if we are open to it through the love of other people and creatures. We probably take it in more mysterious ways, too, I think - through music, the sound of inspiring words, and perhaps through beautiful sights

Prana - is the first and most essential nutrient. In many ways Prana is what this blog is all about. As Mr. Cope said we can get prana from eating fresh and living foods but also through a myriad of other ways. Make sure you are getting your daily reccomended dose of Prana each and every day. Consider the amount of energy that is pulsing through your food when you are packing or picking out a lunch. Ask yourself if you are actually breathing in enough air each and every day. And for Prana's sake laugh and give someone a hug...even if it is just your dog....or a tree...just do it! Okay, maybe I've been wearing these Prana shirt's a little too much but I guarantee it will make you feel better.

Stay Positive,

Matthew

Wherever you are is a great place to start!

Hello Positive Eaters,

I am so glad you decided to read my blog today. Discovering the depth of what is possible is the most fascinating subject to me. We often look to athletes and geniuses to witness amazing feats of both body and mind. Usain Bolt, the great sprinter, just ran 100 meters in 9.69 seconds! We see the leaps being made in technology on a daily basis and marvel at what human minds are able to think up.

What we often forget is that these possibilities are within ourselves as well. Within each person's DNA lies vast human potential. We all experience momentary flashes of genius and find ourselves capable of amazing feats in our lifetime. These are not just chance encounters with adrenaline, luck or divine intervention. This is our inner self reminding us we are fully capable of anything we can possibly dream up.

Human beings are equipped with phenemonal intellect and imaginative capabilities. We were also blessed with a body that could perform an inexhaustible amount of functions. The tools are there to build your dreams, all we need to do is hammer a way a little bit each day. A vision becomes realized when it is held in the mind and transferred through our neurons to every cell in our body. We can literally feel our fingers and toes curl with inspiration.

Here are some of the visions that pass through my mind that I intend to bring into reality. What are some of yours?

1. Run a Half Marathon (Philadelphia 2009!)
2. Run a Marathon (Boston 2012!)
3. Own a beautiful home (In the Merrimack Valley!)
4. Earn a Master's Degree (Counseling or Education!)
5. Earn plenty of money doing something I love
6. Speak and Write professionally
7. Have a beautiful, healthy and happy family that is well taken care of
8. Eat the best and highest quality food for my body
9. Serve others in the most honorable way I possibly can
10. Make a lasting impression on every person I meet

What ten things do you want to accomplish? Can you name five? What is one thing you really want to accomplish? I look forward to supporting you.

Stay Positive,

Matthew

Suprise - Apricot Muffins!

Hello Positive Eaters,

Today I decided to suprise some of the people at my Mom's work with Apricot Muffins. I was hankering for some muffins and wanted to do something different. I had some Polaner Apricot Fruit Spread and it hit me! Apricot muffins! Now I must admit this is not an original idea...I got the picture above from another person's blog who posted on Apricot Muffins (visit their blog here). There are a couple ways to make these muffins. One way is to chop up dried apricots and soak under warm water for 10-15 minutes...the other way is to just add apricot fruit spread to the batter. I used the fruit spread and kind of wished I'd used the dried apricots after. I guess next time. Here is the recipe!

Apricot Muffins

- 1 Cup chopped dried apricots or 4-6 Tablespoons Apricot Fruit Spread
- 2 Cups of Whole Wheat Flour (pastry flour or regular flour)
- 3/4 Cup Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar
- 2 Tbs Orange Zest
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (I think they are the same thing too)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Large Organic Eggs
- 3/4 Cup Yogurt if you want a heavier muffin

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Pour hot water over dried apricots and let sit for five minutes (if using this ingredient)
2. Coat 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray (I reccomend rubbing coconut oil inside).
3. Combine dry ingredients in one bowl.
4. Combine liquid ingredients in another bowl.
5. Combine dry and liquid ingredients and fold in apricot (spread or dried fruit)
6. Fill muffin tins to top with batter. Bake these twenty minutes and allow to cool ten minutes in the pan.

Enjoy!

Stay Positive,

Matthew

Nomadic Eating

Hello Positive Eaters,

The past couple weeks were absolutely crazy! I am just getting around to blogging now. During this time I moved apartments and my meals have resembled a nomadic moveable feast. I was like a viking minus the goofy hat.

We all go through times where we seem to be eating in a different location every time we sit down to feast. Taking the time pack food can be time consuming and we often just don't know what to pack. We also seem to forget eating is essential part of daily functioning. We seem assume it is just going to happen magically on its own. If you were a viking you would simply go into a town and demand quarter for you and your viking band. This convenience is no longer available to us.

Remember to schedule your meals as you plan out your day. This is an important time for you to take care of yourself. If you are unable to pack your meals as you travel amongst the landscape pick a healthy place to pick up both your lunch and your dinner. This will save you time in the long run and assure you get two healthy meals. Avoid golden arches, cute little red heads with pig tails and dogs that give you advice on what you should eat! Pull into a grocery store instead grab yourself some bread and whatever you can put in between two slices that will satisfy your hunger. This way you will have plenty of food and you did a little grocery shopping too!

Alright...the real reason I am posting on Nomadic Eating was to show you these awesome videos below. My good friend Jeff showed me this and I almost fell out of my chair laughing. Have a look see and let me know what you think!

Stay Positive,
Matthew