Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Mayumi's Kitchen

Mayumi Nishimura is an amazing Macrobiotic Chef and Teacher. More then this Mayumi is a true Spiritual Being who is open, caring and non judgmental. I believe this is where her greatest teachings lie. I am one of her students in life and aspire to her level of being.


    
Mayumi began Cooking for Madonna approximately ten years ago. For seven years she spent many hours Traveling, Cooking, and sharing in a very exciting and for what would have been for many, an exhausting lifestyle. During this period in her life Mayumi began writing and developing recipes for her way of introducing Macrobiotics to the world. This was the beginning of "Petite Macro
In her book Mayumi"s Kitchen you can explore Mayumi's vast knowledge of the Macrobiotic lifestyle and her ability to transform this diet into her style of cooking known as "Petite Macro"
I have included three of Mayumi's recipes for you pleasure.
Please enjoy this Nourishing Cuisine!


I have decided on a simple Dinner Menu from Mayumi's Kitchen. It is also a versatile meal for most seasons and great for lunch as well! 


The Menu is :
Green Lentil Soup / Brown and Wild Rice / Steamed Vegetables  & Umeboshi Vinegar Sauce


Green Lentil Soup/serves 3
4 stamp size pieces of Kombu soaked to reconstitute 
1/4 cup (40g) diced Onion
1/4 cup (30g) diced Carrot
1/4 cup (30g) diced Celery
1cup (190g) Green Lentils washed and drained
4 to 6 cups (1to 11/2 liters) Spring Water
1Tbsp Barley Miso diluted in 2 Tbsp Spring Water
Sea Salt  & Black Pepper to taste
1/4 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
Coarsely chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves) or Flat Leaf Parsley for Garnish


1. Place the Kombu in the bottom of a pot and add the Onion, Carrot, Celery, and Lentils, in that order, on top.
2. Carefully pour Spring Water (include Kombu Soaking Water)  to cover the ingredients.
Bring to a near boil over medium heat.Turn heat down to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes, add water when needed.
3. When the Lentils turn soft add the Miso, Salt and Pepper, Coriander & Cumin Powder.Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer to individual bowls and garnish with Cilantro or Parsley.


Brown and Wild Rice/serves 4
2 cups (380g) Brown Rice washed and drained
1/2 cup (80g) Wild Rice washed and drained
3 1/2 cups (840ml) Spring Water
Pinch of Sea Salt


Place both types of rice in a pressure cooker. Add water and sea salt, Cover and bring to pressure over high heat, then reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes without a flame deflector or 35 minutes with. Remove from heat and let pressure come down on its own.


Steamed Vegetables with Ume Plum Vinegar Sauce
2 to 3 kinds of Seasonal Vegetables


Ume Plum Vinegar Sauce
1Tbsp Ume Plum Vinegar
1Tbsp Spring Water


1. Make the Sauce: Combine the Ume Plum Vinegar and Water, and stir
2. Cut Vegetables into bite size pieces and steam foe 3 to 5 minutes
3. Transfer the Vegetables to Tray and serve with Ume Plum Vinegar Sauce on the side


So you must be asking: With a diet composed of Grain and Vegetables where are you supposed  to get your iron. Green Lentils are a good source of iron, protein and calcium.
They are also good for digestion and are incredibly easy to use on a day to day basis. 


I hope you have enjoyed a glimpse of Mayumi's Kitchen. Mayumi's beautiful book, abundant with photos is available at amazon.com. You will not be disappointed by this "Petite Macro"!



























Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Nourish and Protect with Macrobiotic Philosophy

During my stay and employment at the Kushi Institute in Becket, Massachusetts, I had the Pleasure and Blessing of studying and working with some of the most inspiring Macrobiotic Teachers. Michio and Aveline Kushi  were the Blessing,  This was such an amazing and magical time in my life that I have decided that for the month of May I will bring you some of the  information and ideas shared with me by my Teachers both then and now. I hope you will find this information as inspiring as do.


Let's begin with a topic that we have been hearing a lot about lately and coincidentally shared with us by one of my favorite Teachers.

Concerned About Nuclear Radiation Fallout?
Kushi Institute senior teacher and macrobiotic counselor John Kozinski shares timely information on this important issue.
Ideas to Protect Yourself from Harmful Radiation
As the crisis in Japan unfolds, there is uncertainty about possible radiation that may affect Japan and the world.
Potassium iodide pills have been sold out at many of the American distributors. Potassium iodide helps protect a person from the harmful effects of radioactive iodine by blocking it's uptake into the thyroid. One possible serious effect of exposure to large doses of radioactive iodine is thyroid cancer.
There are some natural foods that will help if you have radiation exposure. Here is a list with some explanations.
  1. Leafy greens: stimulate the colon and help the liver discharge radiation from the body.
  2. Fermented foods: have the same effect as leafy greens. These include miso, natural cucumber 
    pickles, and fermented sauerkraut. The best quality pickles are homemade or found in the refrigerated section of the store. They do not have vinegar as an ingredient.
  3. Avoid or limit sugars. These will ferment in the gut and interfere with elimination
  4. Avoid excessive amounts of whole wheat flour products. The excess fiber will interfere with gut bacteria, hampering elimination.
  5. Avoid hard and dry grains such as granola, and dried cereal. This kind of fiber creates bad bacteria hampering the gut.
  6. Eat moderate amounts of grains and cooked vegetables, small amounts of beans regularly and fish along with some cooked fruit, healthy fats and natural seasonings. If you eat other forms of animal foods, be moderate. Excessive amounts will interfere with digestion
  7. Limit raw foods. Raw fiber is harder to digest and will hamper elimination.
  8. Good quality saturated fats block the toxicity of radioactive ions such as avocado and coconut oil. Increase these in times of a nuclear disaster.
  9. Fatty fish: fat soluble vitamins in fatty fish like wild salmon or sardines aid elimination. Eat more often in a disaster.
  10. Kelp tablets from clean waters or kombu powder made from kombu from clean waters. The natural iodine can replace the potassium iodine pills. Take a pill every 1-2 hours if exposed to radiation. North American Herb and Spice Company has good quality kelp under the name, PureKelp. If using kombu powder take a half teaspoon 3 times a day.
  11. Miso has a substance that will remove radiation from the body. Prepare soups and season with a strong taste of miso if there is nuclear disaster. Drink 3 cups per day.
  12. Umeboshi Plums: Take 1-2 daily. This will stimulate the liver and colon to eliminate radiation.
  13. Supplements for Radiation disasters: organic selenium, 200 micrograms every hour for one week then 600 micrograms daily. Vitamin E: 400 IU every hour for 1-2 days, then 2400 IU daily. Buy Vitamin E as mixed tocopherols and/or tocotrienols.
  14. North American Herb and Spice Company has a product that combines herbs, supplements and potassium iodine. It is called NukeProtect.
  15. Chlorella: 2 - 500 mg. capsules 3 times per day or follow directions on the bottle
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The programs and services as well as all information in this Blog are educational in nature, not medical advice, and not intended to take the place of personalized medical counseling, diagnosis and treatment.

NEXT TIME: Recipes from Mayumi's Kitchen, a must have Macrobiotic Cookbook. Mayumi Nishimura has been Madonna's Personal Chef for close to a decade, nourishing the Material Girl with her amazing energy and cooking. OMG! Did I mention how beautiful Mayumi's food is!