Rinse 1 1/2 c. cooked white beans or 1 can organic white beans. Put in blender with 1 clove garlic, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 T. balsamic vinegar, dash olive oil, 1 roasted red pepper, 1 t. dried oregano, and salt to taste. Blend well. Alternately, chop the garlic and red pepper first and then mash all ingredients together with a fork instead of blending.
This is my cross between hummus and an Italian-style pepper spread or dip. It is lighter than both, but just as flavorful.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Lentil Sprouts (raw and vegan)
Place 1 c. lentils in a large jar and rinse with water. Cover with fresh water and leave overnight in a cool, dark place. In the morning, rinse the lentils again and drain. Place a cheesecloth over the jar and secure it with a rubber band. Place the jar with the top facing down at a diagonal, allowing water to drain out while air circulates. Cover jar with a clean cloth to keep the light out. Leave it in this position for 1–2 days, rinsing and draining lentils every 6—8 hours. Sprouts are ready when their "tails" are about 1/4 inch long. Remove them from the jar, rinse once more, and spread on a paper towel to dry for an hour or so.
ODE TO A LENTIL
A while back my friend Jessy and I spent an evening talking about one of our great unsung heroes, the inexpensive yet highly nutritious lentil. (Now you know how I spend my Friday nights.) Jessy is a glowing vegan raw foodist while I am beer-swilling, unapologetic carnivore, yet both of us can come together in appreciation for this culinary heavy-hitter; few foods are as versatile and easy to prepare, which makes them a useful food for just about everyone. Moreover they are absurdly cheap, cheap, cheap, even the organic ones, and easy to find in several varieties at even the most depressing suburban supermarket.
Lentils are one of the longest-standing cultivated plants known. According to acclaimed naturopath and nutrition writer Dr. Michael Murray, lentil seeds have been discovered at Near and Middle East sites dating back as far as 6000 BC and have been a continuous agricultural staple ever since. Today, they remain an important protein source throughout the world especially in developing areas where meat protein is too expensive for daily consumption or where religious practice forbids it from time to time. Yet for some odd reason, they are not a mainstay of the Standard American Diet; they show up periodically in a "soup of the day" or as part of vegetarian home cooking, but like other legumes they are used more as an occasional specialty ingredient. Perhaps, in a food culture that honors meat as the linchpin of the meal with everything else being planned around it, there's just no obvious place for the humble lentil except as a "meat substitute." Epithet.
What many Americans-- especially us carnivores-- fail to realize is that lentils pack a lot of nutritional benefits that meats do not, and at a fraction of the cost. In addition to being an excellent source of protein (most of you knew that already), lentils are also rich in cholesterol-lowering, blood-sugar-balancing fiber; in fact, cooked lentils contain as much fiber per gram as prunes and even more than apples! And unlike protein foods from animal sources, lentils contain almost no fat-- making them an excellent dietary choice for anyone worried about controlling their intake of bad fats such as oxidized saturated fats. Lentils also contain essential minerals such as phosphorus, iron, potassium, and magnesium and, when eaten soaked or sprouted, may even be a good source of folic acid.
All this aside, of course, lentils are delicious and easy to prepare in a variety of ways. Below, I've provided some tips for buying and using lentils:
• Lentils can be eaten sprouted (raw), soaked overnight and lightly cooked, cooked longer for soups, stews, and Indian-type dahl dishes, even cooked and mashed to make "burgers," and even ground into flour.
• Brown, green, and "French" lentils are the most commonly found varieties in American supermarkets, but black, yellow, red, and orange varieties are also available and may be sold whole or split. The smaller types, especially red and orange ones, are excellent for soup.
• Buy your lentils dry; they cook quickly enough that there's no real advantage to buying canned ones, plus the canned ones may contain funky additives and residues (residues from can manufacturing will not be included on ingredients labels) and may also have a gummy consistency.
• Look for stores that sell dried lentils in bulk. Buying in bulk is better for the environment because it saves packaging, what's more it saves you the cost of paying for packaging and you can get exactly as much as you want. Generally, stores with quick turnover will stock a fresher product.
• Store lentils in a cool, dry, airtight container. My own personal favorite container is the clean, de-labelled, would-have-otherwise-been-recycled glass jar; these protect your lentils from critters and allow you to see inside. When the jar is empty, you may even be able to take it directly to the bulk department at your favorite health food store and fill it on the spot, no plastic bags needed!
• Dry lentils will keep in an airtight container for 6 months.
• Rinse lentils well before using and pick out any stones or other debris.
• It's not necessary to soak lentils the same way you should soak other legumes, however, soaking them will speed up cooking time. Lentils make a particularly tasty salad when simply soaked overnight and then steamed for 5–10 minutes and marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, and chopped parsley.
• It's almost impossible to over-salt lentils; in fact, lentils simply cooked in well-salted water make a perfectly tasty dish, especially when accompanied with hot sauce.
• According to Dr. Jeffrey Bland, 6 cups of raw sprouted lentils contain 50 grams of protein-- enough to meet an adult's protein needs for an entire day. Sprouted lentils make a great addition to raw salads, smoothies, dehydrated crackers, and breads. They also contain phytonutrients not available in cooked lentils.
• If you make too much of your favorite cooked lentil dish, pop the leftovers in the freezer; lentils actually retain their shape and taste quite well when frozen.
Lentils are one of the longest-standing cultivated plants known. According to acclaimed naturopath and nutrition writer Dr. Michael Murray, lentil seeds have been discovered at Near and Middle East sites dating back as far as 6000 BC and have been a continuous agricultural staple ever since. Today, they remain an important protein source throughout the world especially in developing areas where meat protein is too expensive for daily consumption or where religious practice forbids it from time to time. Yet for some odd reason, they are not a mainstay of the Standard American Diet; they show up periodically in a "soup of the day" or as part of vegetarian home cooking, but like other legumes they are used more as an occasional specialty ingredient. Perhaps, in a food culture that honors meat as the linchpin of the meal with everything else being planned around it, there's just no obvious place for the humble lentil except as a "meat substitute." Epithet.
What many Americans-- especially us carnivores-- fail to realize is that lentils pack a lot of nutritional benefits that meats do not, and at a fraction of the cost. In addition to being an excellent source of protein (most of you knew that already), lentils are also rich in cholesterol-lowering, blood-sugar-balancing fiber; in fact, cooked lentils contain as much fiber per gram as prunes and even more than apples! And unlike protein foods from animal sources, lentils contain almost no fat-- making them an excellent dietary choice for anyone worried about controlling their intake of bad fats such as oxidized saturated fats. Lentils also contain essential minerals such as phosphorus, iron, potassium, and magnesium and, when eaten soaked or sprouted, may even be a good source of folic acid.
All this aside, of course, lentils are delicious and easy to prepare in a variety of ways. Below, I've provided some tips for buying and using lentils:
• Lentils can be eaten sprouted (raw), soaked overnight and lightly cooked, cooked longer for soups, stews, and Indian-type dahl dishes, even cooked and mashed to make "burgers," and even ground into flour.
• Brown, green, and "French" lentils are the most commonly found varieties in American supermarkets, but black, yellow, red, and orange varieties are also available and may be sold whole or split. The smaller types, especially red and orange ones, are excellent for soup.
• Buy your lentils dry; they cook quickly enough that there's no real advantage to buying canned ones, plus the canned ones may contain funky additives and residues (residues from can manufacturing will not be included on ingredients labels) and may also have a gummy consistency.
• Look for stores that sell dried lentils in bulk. Buying in bulk is better for the environment because it saves packaging, what's more it saves you the cost of paying for packaging and you can get exactly as much as you want. Generally, stores with quick turnover will stock a fresher product.
• Store lentils in a cool, dry, airtight container. My own personal favorite container is the clean, de-labelled, would-have-otherwise-been-recycled glass jar; these protect your lentils from critters and allow you to see inside. When the jar is empty, you may even be able to take it directly to the bulk department at your favorite health food store and fill it on the spot, no plastic bags needed!
• Dry lentils will keep in an airtight container for 6 months.
• Rinse lentils well before using and pick out any stones or other debris.
• It's not necessary to soak lentils the same way you should soak other legumes, however, soaking them will speed up cooking time. Lentils make a particularly tasty salad when simply soaked overnight and then steamed for 5–10 minutes and marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, and chopped parsley.
• It's almost impossible to over-salt lentils; in fact, lentils simply cooked in well-salted water make a perfectly tasty dish, especially when accompanied with hot sauce.
• According to Dr. Jeffrey Bland, 6 cups of raw sprouted lentils contain 50 grams of protein-- enough to meet an adult's protein needs for an entire day. Sprouted lentils make a great addition to raw salads, smoothies, dehydrated crackers, and breads. They also contain phytonutrients not available in cooked lentils.
• If you make too much of your favorite cooked lentil dish, pop the leftovers in the freezer; lentils actually retain their shape and taste quite well when frozen.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Soup (vegan)
Cook 1 large onion, thinly sliced, in a little oil until soft and very brown. Add 1 large can pumpkin puree (not pie mix!), same volume stock or water, 2 T. vinegar, 1 t. chili flakes, and salt to taste. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 c. or more of coconut milk (optional). Serve.
Friday, February 12, 2010
The Chocolate-Covered Cherry
In a jar with lid or a cocktail shaker, mix 2 parts cherry juice, 2 parts vodka, 1 part chocolate liqueur (such as Godiva), and ice. Shake well. Strain into martini glasses.
Note: Ask your doctor— or your nutritionist— if you are healthy enough to consume alcoholic beverages.
Note: Ask your doctor— or your nutritionist— if you are healthy enough to consume alcoholic beverages.
HEY WAIT, THAT FLACCID KALE IS PERFECTLY EDIBLE!
In light of the recent economic downturn, that relatively free-spending era of my youth— the decade or so surrounding, oh, the year Madonna released "Material Girl"— seems positively wasteful. Case in point, I remember how my friends and I used to laugh at one elementary-school classmate for carrying his lunch in used plastic breadbags when everyone else had a crisp brown paper bag each day... everyone other than me, that is, since I did not bring lunch from home but instead bought prepackaged bologna sandwiches at school. I felt particularly cool that my lunch came wrapped in multiple layers of plastic on a disposable styrofoam tray. Being able to throw stuff out meant that I was not cheap, my family was not "poor"— we had resources to burn, or so went the conventional 3rd-grade wisdom. Oh, how times have changed!
Now I proudly catalog the ways I can be cheap, especially when it comes to food. It pains me to throw anything out. I freeze shrimp shells for stock, make old milk into yogurt, and toast bread heels to make croutons. Old tortillas are great for chilaquiles, and even fatty pieces cut from a roast can be thrown into a pot of beans later. I exercise my most obsessively artful stinginess when it comes to produce, however. There really is almost no reason to throw out old fruits and vegetables unless they smell like death or wiggle of their own volition. Moreover, with a little advanced legwork you can prolong the freshness of your vegetables by days or even weeks. If you aren't convinced, keep reading.
Helping Fresh Vegetables Live Longer, More Productive Lives: Some vegetables belong in the refrigerator, while others do not. All green vegetables belong in the fridge, as do peppers. Root vegetables can be stored at room temperature ONLY if they are to be consumed within a day or two; otherwise, keep them in the fridge. One exception I always make is garlic, which seems to retain its flavor better when kept at room temperature. But for the love of God, don't ever put a "fruit" vegetable (ie a tomato or avocado) in the fridge unless it's been cut. Even then, I leave those out unless I know I won't be finishing it for a few days. Refrigeration positively murders the flavor of the juicier fruits and especially tomatoes and citrus.
• Take some time to wash and store vegetables properly when you return from the store. First, invest in a salad spinner. Use this to wash and dry all greens and herbs, then LOOSELY pack them into plastic bags and refrigerate. Pull out any browning pieces every day or so, which will prevent these from contaminating the rest. You may also wish to wash and chop other veggies for easier use later. On the other hand, avoid chopping veggies that you probably won't use for several days. They will dry out and end up tasting like everything else in the refrigerator.
• Wash your herbs in advance, but don't cut them. Cutting herbs causes them to bruise which results in rapid decomposition. If you find that you have a baggie full of herbs you probably won't be using in the next few days, move them to the freezer or hang them up to dry instead.
• Do not pack vegetables into crisper drawers— they will only rot faster. Instead, place a few loosely into the drawers and the rest on shelves with plenty of space. Like people, vegetables are not happy if they can't breathe.
Aged Vegetables (i.e. slightly softened, bruised, limp, or tasting of the refrigerator— but definitely not rotten): These do not have to be cooked, but they have lost their flavor and at least some of their nutrition. Therefore it is wisest to prepare these with other ingredients that provide satisfying flavor and texture.
• Often, these can be perked right up by being soaked in very cold water for 15 minutes or so.
• These are perfect for juicing or, in the case of greens, chopping up and adding to soups or smoothies.
• Non-leafies can be grated and easily mixed in with other salads, especially tuna/salmon/chicken salad, slaws, or sauerkraut.
• In general these work very well in recipes that involve chopping/grating/shredding the vegetables into small pieces and cooking with other strong flavors, ie, adding at to a stir-fry towards the end of cooking or lightly steaming and then marinating in vinaigrette for a few hours.
• These are the ideal vegetables for any recipe that involves baking, ie sliced on top of pizzas, cooked into muffins or breads (zucchini bread! carrot cake!), or added to stratas and casseroles.
• These are also ideal for dehydrating if you have a dehydrator or can reliably set your oven to less than 180°, since technically these vegetables are a little dehydrated already. Carrots and squashes work especially well; simply cut into thin slices, dip in soy sauce (add a little chili powder for extra zing), and dehydrate until the consistency is how you like it.
Funky, or “Dead” Vegetables (i.e. bruised or having some rotten parts): Funky vegetables are not suitable for eating raw but can be incorporated into many cooked dishes, especially ones that involve blending the vegetables or cooking them to the point of mush. This should render whatever funk might be growing on the vegetables harmless, plus help to concentrate whatever nutrition is left. Make sure to wash these vegetables very well and cut out any moldy/wormy/highly discolored parts before cooking them.
• These are perfect for canning, pureeing as soup, or making into sauces (works for fruits, too, ie tomatoes and apples).
• Freeze for use later in vegetable stock.
• Cook well and add to highly seasoned mashed potatoes.
Miscellaneous Parts (i.e. leftover salad, scraps that might otherwise be composted or thrown out): As long as these are clean and not rotten, they can be eaten raw or cooked.
• If it’s a part that you would eat raw under ideal circumstances, it’s suitable for juicing.
• Freeze for use later in vegetable stock.
• Shred and add in small amounts to potting or garden soil for added nutrients, no composting needed.
Mushrooms: A Special Case: Always err on the safe side with mushrooms, i.e., throw them out if you see any signs of rot, and don’t eat aging mushrooms without cooking the bejesus out of them first. In fact, with the exception of the occasional white button mushroom sliced into a salad, mushrooms should not be eaten raw ever. This is because raw mushrooms a) contain compounds that can be potentially toxic; b) can be difficult to digest due to aforementioned compounds, and that’s the least of your worries; and c) are often grown on poop. In fact, the brown “dirt” you see on store-bought mushrooms is not dirt at all, but … you guessed it.
On the other hand, many commercially dried mushrooms are often dehydrated at relatively high temperatures and are therefore sort-of “cooked” already. Even then however, if you are going to eat dehydrated mushrooms without additional cooking, first soak one thoroughly in warm water and eat a very small piece– on an empty stomach-- to make sure your digestive system will tolerate it. The main signs that your system disagrees with a mushroom eaten in small quantity will be flatulence, headache, or nausea, which may sound unpleasant but are far preferable to the Exorcist-type physiological responses the human body may have to eating unvetted mushrooms in quantity.
Bon appetit, and remember: if it doesn't wink at you, you can probably eat it.
Now I proudly catalog the ways I can be cheap, especially when it comes to food. It pains me to throw anything out. I freeze shrimp shells for stock, make old milk into yogurt, and toast bread heels to make croutons. Old tortillas are great for chilaquiles, and even fatty pieces cut from a roast can be thrown into a pot of beans later. I exercise my most obsessively artful stinginess when it comes to produce, however. There really is almost no reason to throw out old fruits and vegetables unless they smell like death or wiggle of their own volition. Moreover, with a little advanced legwork you can prolong the freshness of your vegetables by days or even weeks. If you aren't convinced, keep reading.
Helping Fresh Vegetables Live Longer, More Productive Lives: Some vegetables belong in the refrigerator, while others do not. All green vegetables belong in the fridge, as do peppers. Root vegetables can be stored at room temperature ONLY if they are to be consumed within a day or two; otherwise, keep them in the fridge. One exception I always make is garlic, which seems to retain its flavor better when kept at room temperature. But for the love of God, don't ever put a "fruit" vegetable (ie a tomato or avocado) in the fridge unless it's been cut. Even then, I leave those out unless I know I won't be finishing it for a few days. Refrigeration positively murders the flavor of the juicier fruits and especially tomatoes and citrus.
• Take some time to wash and store vegetables properly when you return from the store. First, invest in a salad spinner. Use this to wash and dry all greens and herbs, then LOOSELY pack them into plastic bags and refrigerate. Pull out any browning pieces every day or so, which will prevent these from contaminating the rest. You may also wish to wash and chop other veggies for easier use later. On the other hand, avoid chopping veggies that you probably won't use for several days. They will dry out and end up tasting like everything else in the refrigerator.
• Wash your herbs in advance, but don't cut them. Cutting herbs causes them to bruise which results in rapid decomposition. If you find that you have a baggie full of herbs you probably won't be using in the next few days, move them to the freezer or hang them up to dry instead.
• Do not pack vegetables into crisper drawers— they will only rot faster. Instead, place a few loosely into the drawers and the rest on shelves with plenty of space. Like people, vegetables are not happy if they can't breathe.
Aged Vegetables (i.e. slightly softened, bruised, limp, or tasting of the refrigerator— but definitely not rotten): These do not have to be cooked, but they have lost their flavor and at least some of their nutrition. Therefore it is wisest to prepare these with other ingredients that provide satisfying flavor and texture.
• Often, these can be perked right up by being soaked in very cold water for 15 minutes or so.
• These are perfect for juicing or, in the case of greens, chopping up and adding to soups or smoothies.
• Non-leafies can be grated and easily mixed in with other salads, especially tuna/salmon/chicken salad, slaws, or sauerkraut.
• In general these work very well in recipes that involve chopping/grating/shredding the vegetables into small pieces and cooking with other strong flavors, ie, adding at to a stir-fry towards the end of cooking or lightly steaming and then marinating in vinaigrette for a few hours.
• These are the ideal vegetables for any recipe that involves baking, ie sliced on top of pizzas, cooked into muffins or breads (zucchini bread! carrot cake!), or added to stratas and casseroles.
• These are also ideal for dehydrating if you have a dehydrator or can reliably set your oven to less than 180°, since technically these vegetables are a little dehydrated already. Carrots and squashes work especially well; simply cut into thin slices, dip in soy sauce (add a little chili powder for extra zing), and dehydrate until the consistency is how you like it.
Funky, or “Dead” Vegetables (i.e. bruised or having some rotten parts): Funky vegetables are not suitable for eating raw but can be incorporated into many cooked dishes, especially ones that involve blending the vegetables or cooking them to the point of mush. This should render whatever funk might be growing on the vegetables harmless, plus help to concentrate whatever nutrition is left. Make sure to wash these vegetables very well and cut out any moldy/wormy/highly discolored parts before cooking them.
• These are perfect for canning, pureeing as soup, or making into sauces (works for fruits, too, ie tomatoes and apples).
• Freeze for use later in vegetable stock.
• Cook well and add to highly seasoned mashed potatoes.
Miscellaneous Parts (i.e. leftover salad, scraps that might otherwise be composted or thrown out): As long as these are clean and not rotten, they can be eaten raw or cooked.
• If it’s a part that you would eat raw under ideal circumstances, it’s suitable for juicing.
• Freeze for use later in vegetable stock.
• Shred and add in small amounts to potting or garden soil for added nutrients, no composting needed.
Mushrooms: A Special Case: Always err on the safe side with mushrooms, i.e., throw them out if you see any signs of rot, and don’t eat aging mushrooms without cooking the bejesus out of them first. In fact, with the exception of the occasional white button mushroom sliced into a salad, mushrooms should not be eaten raw ever. This is because raw mushrooms a) contain compounds that can be potentially toxic; b) can be difficult to digest due to aforementioned compounds, and that’s the least of your worries; and c) are often grown on poop. In fact, the brown “dirt” you see on store-bought mushrooms is not dirt at all, but … you guessed it.
On the other hand, many commercially dried mushrooms are often dehydrated at relatively high temperatures and are therefore sort-of “cooked” already. Even then however, if you are going to eat dehydrated mushrooms without additional cooking, first soak one thoroughly in warm water and eat a very small piece– on an empty stomach-- to make sure your digestive system will tolerate it. The main signs that your system disagrees with a mushroom eaten in small quantity will be flatulence, headache, or nausea, which may sound unpleasant but are far preferable to the Exorcist-type physiological responses the human body may have to eating unvetted mushrooms in quantity.
Bon appetit, and remember: if it doesn't wink at you, you can probably eat it.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Strawberry Sauce
Fully thaw 1 package frozen organic strawberries in a saucepan. Add sweetener to taste and heat gently. Remove from heat and add the juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 t. Grand Marnier. Puree and strain out seeds if desired. Serve over everything, including your thumb.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Polenta with Spinach and Onions
Boil 4 c. water with a little salt and slowly add 1 c. dried polenta in a stream. Cook on medium for 30–40 mins., stirring frequently. Meanwhile saute 1 small onion, diced, in generous oil. Add 1 lb. fresh spinach and cook until tender. Then pour half the polenta into a greased baking pan, spread the spinach over it, add 1 or 2 beaten eggs and grated cheese if desired (optional), and pour rest of polenta on top. Bake at 400° for about 20 mins. or until set. Cool and cut into squares.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
ON HEALTH CARE VS. HEALTH INSURANCE, AND VEGETABLES
As anyone in America without a secure salaried job knows, getting and keeping affordable health insurance is not so easy these days. I for one applied for private insurance a few months ago after a change in my employment arrangement— I went from one full-time job with benefits to multiple part-time jobs, none of which qualify for benefits— and assumed, like so many Americans would, that since I don't have any ailments that demand treatment and almost never go to the doctor, I would be a dream candidate for private insurance.
By now you likely know where this is going. As it turns out, any time you get treated for anything under our health insurance system, your doctor puts a diagnosis code in your file. That little code, meant to facilitate your effective treatment, labels you as officially having an illness and stays in your file whether the illness ever shows symptoms again. And it can become the basis for a "pre-existing condition" claim by any insurance company considering you for coverage. Apparently they don't want to insure anyone who actually seeks out health care. So I, having seen a health care provider in the previous 6 months for something other than a routine exam, was easily labeled as having a pre-existing condition and not qualifying for private insurance.
Since I don't qualify for government-subsidized programs because I am not poor or old enough, my only insurance option is COBRA (which my former full-time employer facilitates, though she is not required to do so by law because her company is too small). Which is temporary and hardly affordable. HEY! Thanks for nothing, big useless American health insurance gulag! You call this a "system"?
But c'est la vie. I'm lucky. I'm not actually sick. I have work— sometimes more than I want. I have over a year of COBRA coverage left, during which time I'll continue to reassure myself that President Obama will pass his reform legislation, which might allow me to get insurance by means other than the graciousness of one small business owner. We all tell ourselves little lies to get through the tough times.
Make no mistake about it, though: if President Obama passes the reform he is hoping for, it will not be "health care" reform. At best it will be "health insurance" reform. The two terms, "health care" and "health insurance," have become synonymous in the American consciousness in recent years, and herein lies part of the problem. As Americans we have come to expect that doctors are responsible for our "health care" and if we could only fix the "health insurance" system that mediates our relationships with doctors, why, we'd be able to prevent diabetes and cut the deficit and teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. Perhaps this is a moot debate since the fate of the reform package is now itself in doubt. But needless to say, even if health insurance in this country does change in the near future, our collective attitude towards health care probably will not.
Fortunately, if I've gained one thing from this insurance mess it has been the conviction that as long as my brain is functioning no doctor or company will ever be responsible for my health. I will be responsible for it. This is because I've learned that health insurance = protection from financial catastrophe in the event of an illness. On the other hand, health care = the little decisions a person makes every day to promote his or her physical and emotional well-being. Health insurance is institutional; health care is individual. When, years ago, I went to one doctor after another looking for tests to explain my insomnia and weight gain and none could detect anything worthy of a diagnosis and therefore treatment, that was health insurance. When I started exercising regularly to deal with the problem even without a diagnosis, that was health care. When, a year or so ago, my coverage changed and I was unexpectedly forced to pay $600 out of pocket so a dermatologist could tell me I do not have skin cancer, that was health insurance. When I started eating more antioxidant foods in hopes of preventing cancer, that was health care.
This is certainly not to say that doctors and other health care providers are merely slaves to the big ugly insurance system, that they do not have an important role to play in one's health care. Human beings have always looked to others —those our society deems experts by virtue of their training, their spiritual experience, their age— for counsel and healing. We need these people most when we are in acute distress, which is likely to happen to every one of us at some point in life. But never before have our relationships with health experts been so mediated by external structures that are so out of our control, that do not even know us. Looking outside ones' self for help and healing may be natural but there is nothing natural about the health insurance system that we labor under today. There's nothing natural about a system that will pay for addictive pain meds but not a visit to a chiropractor. There is nothing natural about being given exactly 12 minutes for one's annual gynecological exam. There is nothing natural about spending a hour on the phone with a faceless third-party corporation called "Datalink," who somehow has the rights to one's medical record, just to find out the charge for procuring a copy of the record for onesself. (That's $25 not including postage, if you were wondering, though it's free if you have the record sent to another doctor instead.)
This is why the only way to have a "healthy" relationship with one's health care is to see insurance and everything insurance mediates as a part of it, maybe even just a small part of it, while the rest consists of variables that one can actually control. Eating well. Sleeping. Exercising. Emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development. Holistic approaches. Getting someone to rub your feet once in a while. (Quite a few of my peers in San Francisco skip the insurance part altogether, either by choice or by lack of option, and do OK with just this stuff. As long as they don't get hit by a bus.)
I've been tinkering with this approach and I must say, at least this way I'm the administrator of the cockamamie project called Keeping Ellen Healthy and I get to call the shots. This is also why I need all my health care providers: my doctor, my nutritionist friends, the nursing-school neighbor who will undoubtedly perform CPR on me if I ever have a medical-bill-related heart attack, the two women who rub and crack my neck so I don't get a pinched nerve from endless hours at the computer, my yoga teachers, my boyfriend who cooks for me when I have the flu, all the family members whose wisdom helps me keep my perspective. Some of these people are reimbursed for their services by Oxford/United Health. Others I have to repay myself, any way I can.
These exchanges add up to the true price of my health care, which of course ranges far beyond what I pay for insurance each month. It stinks. I pay more each month for combined health care costs than I do for rent, which is amazing considering that I live in San Francisco (no cheap rent here) and get a lot of services for reduced cost, barter, or free. It's even more amazing considering that I'm not actually sick. The only thing insurance provides me is the security that neither myself nor my loved ones will be bankrupt if I ever do. As part of my total health care budget, I file it as a mental health expense.
Anyway this is my personal health care reform plan for 2010. This is also why I eat a lot of vegetables.
By now you likely know where this is going. As it turns out, any time you get treated for anything under our health insurance system, your doctor puts a diagnosis code in your file. That little code, meant to facilitate your effective treatment, labels you as officially having an illness and stays in your file whether the illness ever shows symptoms again. And it can become the basis for a "pre-existing condition" claim by any insurance company considering you for coverage. Apparently they don't want to insure anyone who actually seeks out health care. So I, having seen a health care provider in the previous 6 months for something other than a routine exam, was easily labeled as having a pre-existing condition and not qualifying for private insurance.
Since I don't qualify for government-subsidized programs because I am not poor or old enough, my only insurance option is COBRA (which my former full-time employer facilitates, though she is not required to do so by law because her company is too small). Which is temporary and hardly affordable. HEY! Thanks for nothing, big useless American health insurance gulag! You call this a "system"?
But c'est la vie. I'm lucky. I'm not actually sick. I have work— sometimes more than I want. I have over a year of COBRA coverage left, during which time I'll continue to reassure myself that President Obama will pass his reform legislation, which might allow me to get insurance by means other than the graciousness of one small business owner. We all tell ourselves little lies to get through the tough times.
Make no mistake about it, though: if President Obama passes the reform he is hoping for, it will not be "health care" reform. At best it will be "health insurance" reform. The two terms, "health care" and "health insurance," have become synonymous in the American consciousness in recent years, and herein lies part of the problem. As Americans we have come to expect that doctors are responsible for our "health care" and if we could only fix the "health insurance" system that mediates our relationships with doctors, why, we'd be able to prevent diabetes and cut the deficit and teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. Perhaps this is a moot debate since the fate of the reform package is now itself in doubt. But needless to say, even if health insurance in this country does change in the near future, our collective attitude towards health care probably will not.
Fortunately, if I've gained one thing from this insurance mess it has been the conviction that as long as my brain is functioning no doctor or company will ever be responsible for my health. I will be responsible for it. This is because I've learned that health insurance = protection from financial catastrophe in the event of an illness. On the other hand, health care = the little decisions a person makes every day to promote his or her physical and emotional well-being. Health insurance is institutional; health care is individual. When, years ago, I went to one doctor after another looking for tests to explain my insomnia and weight gain and none could detect anything worthy of a diagnosis and therefore treatment, that was health insurance. When I started exercising regularly to deal with the problem even without a diagnosis, that was health care. When, a year or so ago, my coverage changed and I was unexpectedly forced to pay $600 out of pocket so a dermatologist could tell me I do not have skin cancer, that was health insurance. When I started eating more antioxidant foods in hopes of preventing cancer, that was health care.
This is certainly not to say that doctors and other health care providers are merely slaves to the big ugly insurance system, that they do not have an important role to play in one's health care. Human beings have always looked to others —those our society deems experts by virtue of their training, their spiritual experience, their age— for counsel and healing. We need these people most when we are in acute distress, which is likely to happen to every one of us at some point in life. But never before have our relationships with health experts been so mediated by external structures that are so out of our control, that do not even know us. Looking outside ones' self for help and healing may be natural but there is nothing natural about the health insurance system that we labor under today. There's nothing natural about a system that will pay for addictive pain meds but not a visit to a chiropractor. There is nothing natural about being given exactly 12 minutes for one's annual gynecological exam. There is nothing natural about spending a hour on the phone with a faceless third-party corporation called "Datalink," who somehow has the rights to one's medical record, just to find out the charge for procuring a copy of the record for onesself. (That's $25 not including postage, if you were wondering, though it's free if you have the record sent to another doctor instead.)
This is why the only way to have a "healthy" relationship with one's health care is to see insurance and everything insurance mediates as a part of it, maybe even just a small part of it, while the rest consists of variables that one can actually control. Eating well. Sleeping. Exercising. Emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development. Holistic approaches. Getting someone to rub your feet once in a while. (Quite a few of my peers in San Francisco skip the insurance part altogether, either by choice or by lack of option, and do OK with just this stuff. As long as they don't get hit by a bus.)
I've been tinkering with this approach and I must say, at least this way I'm the administrator of the cockamamie project called Keeping Ellen Healthy and I get to call the shots. This is also why I need all my health care providers: my doctor, my nutritionist friends, the nursing-school neighbor who will undoubtedly perform CPR on me if I ever have a medical-bill-related heart attack, the two women who rub and crack my neck so I don't get a pinched nerve from endless hours at the computer, my yoga teachers, my boyfriend who cooks for me when I have the flu, all the family members whose wisdom helps me keep my perspective. Some of these people are reimbursed for their services by Oxford/United Health. Others I have to repay myself, any way I can.
These exchanges add up to the true price of my health care, which of course ranges far beyond what I pay for insurance each month. It stinks. I pay more each month for combined health care costs than I do for rent, which is amazing considering that I live in San Francisco (no cheap rent here) and get a lot of services for reduced cost, barter, or free. It's even more amazing considering that I'm not actually sick. The only thing insurance provides me is the security that neither myself nor my loved ones will be bankrupt if I ever do. As part of my total health care budget, I file it as a mental health expense.
Anyway this is my personal health care reform plan for 2010. This is also why I eat a lot of vegetables.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Kale and Carrots with Soy Sauce (vegan and very, very easy)
Shred 1 head kale. Using a potato peeler, make ribbons of 1 large carrot. Mix both in a little oil over medium fire until coated, add 2 cloves crushed garlic and cook a few minutes more, then add a few T. water and cover. Simmer about 10 mins. or until greens are tender. Remove cover, add 1 or 2 T. soy sauce, and cook one minute more.
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