{dear...}

...Gwyneth,

Don't listen to the naysayers who critique your website and newsletter, GOOP. I get it and love it- and people who read my blog love it, too.

I love the latest on Paris and places to go, stay, and eat. Absolutely fantastic suggestions. You are the only one out there who is giving me information on interesting places to go, food that tastes great and is good for you, interesting topics and theories about life, all of which I can use on a daily basis. Bravo!

My only suggestion, would be to improve the functionality of GOOP. It times out quite a bit and could use more info.

{cook: Gwyneth's Thanksgiving recipes}

Thanksgiving is by far, my favorite holiday. The concept of coming together with friends and family to eat foods that have, for many, been in their families for generations, and to simply give thanks, is a very special concept to me.

I love these recipes from Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP emails. Always fun, young and healthy. I'm definitely trying the Pumpkin Ice Cream with Maple Whipped Cream! Let me know what you try and how it works out.

Happy Thanksgiving!
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Stuffed Turkey Burgers

All the flavors of Thanksgiving in a burger – what could be better?

SERVES: 2 (makes two huge burgers) TIME: 20 minutes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely minced onion
1 tablespoon very finely chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 pound ground turkey
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 cup Classic Bread Stuffing
2 hamburger buns
Cranberry Ketchup (see recipe below)
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add the onions and rosemary and cook for about ten minutes, or until quite soft and sweet. Let the onion mixture cool a bit and then put in a large mixing bowl with the turkey, salt and pepper. Mush the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or your hands. Form a quarter of the mixture into a thin patty. Mound half of the stuffing in the center of the patty. Take another quarter of the mixture and form it into a patty and place on top, sealing the edges so that all the stuffing is snug inside. Repeat with the remaining turkey and stuffing.

Preheat your grill or broiler. Cook the burgers for five minutes on the first side, flip and cook for four more minutes or until the burgers are browned and firm. Cut the buns in half and grill alongside the burgers. Spread the buns with Cranberry Ketchup, tuck in the burgers and go to town.

Cranberry Ketchup

The ideal condiment for Stuffed Turkey Burgers.
SERVES: 2

TIME: 1 minute
2 spoonfuls of Cranberry Chutney
2 same-sized spoonfuls ketchup Mix together.
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Whole Roasted Turkey

This recipe is a smaller scale version of Martha Stewart’s accurately named Perfect Roast Turkey. It’s not afraid of butter.

SERVES: 12, with leftovers
TIME: 3 to 4 hours

1 14 pound turkey, giblets and neck removed and reserved for gravy (best to let the turkey sit out at room temperature for two hours before cooking)
coarse sea salt
1/2 cup melted butter + 4 tablespoons softened
1/2 bottle dry white wine
freshly ground black pepper
cheesecloth
optional: Classic Bread Stuffing or an onion, several cloves garlic, a lemon

Put your oven rack as low as it can go. Preheat the oven to 450º F.

Rub the turkey with a large handful of coarse sea salt. Rinse with cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels. Let it hang for a minute.

Get yourself a big piece of cheesecloth. Fold it in half and then in half again. Cut it so you have a four-layer square that’s roughly 15 x 15. Combine the melted butter and wine in a large bowl and soak the cheesecloth in it.

Back to the turkey. Stuff the cavity with some of your Classic Bread Stuffing (see recipe below) if you’d like. If not, sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Feel free to throw in a quartered onion, a few cloves of garlic and/or a halved lemon. Tie the legs together with a piece of twine. Rub the four tablespoons of softened butter all over the turkey and sprinkle the outside with plenty of salt and pepper. Set the turkey on a roasting rack inside of a large roasting pan. Squeeze out your cheesecloth (it should still be damp, just not dripping) and drape it over the turkey, completely covering the breast and most of the legs. Be sure to save the leftover butter and wine.

Roast the turkey for half an hour. Take it out of the oven and baste it (over the cheesecloth) with some of the leftover butter and wine mixture. Turn the oven down to 350º F. Let the turkey roast for another hour and a half, basting every half hour with the butter and wine and the juices from the bottom of the pan.At this point your turkey will have been cooking for two hours. Remove the cheesecloth and cook for another hour to hour and a half, still basting every half hour until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180º F.Remove the turkey to a board and let it rest for at least half an hour before carving. Be sure to save everything in the bottom of the pan for gravy.

Thanksgiving Gravy

This is a classic gravy that really benefits from using all parts of the turkey – everything from the neck to the sticky browned bits at the bottom of the roasting pan.

Don’t throw any of that stuff away, it’s like gold!

SERVES: 12
TIME: 15 minutes

giblets and neck from turkey (discard the liver)
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large stalk celery, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon each finely minced fresh thyme, rosemary and sage
2 tablespoons flourreserved juice from your turkey pan (make sure to scrape up all the browned bits)
1/4 cup apple cider or juice
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

While the turkey is roasting, put the giblets, neck, carrot, onion and celery in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam that accumulates, lower the heat and let it simmer away while the turkey cooks. You should have at least 3 cups in the end.

While the turkey is resting, it’s gravy time. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the herbs and flour and stir to combine. Cook for about a minute. Slowly whisk in the reserved juice and browned bits from the turkey pan. The mixture should be fairly smooth – the goal is to avoid lumps of flour. Turn the heat up to medium-high, strain in your giblet broth and the cider and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is slightly thickened and the raw flour taste has cooked off (about ten minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cranberry Chutney

Cranberries are full of antioxidants and their recognizably tart flavor is a must at any Thanksgiving table. Luckily, making chutney couldn’t be easier and you can make it up to a week in advance.

SERVES: 12 (makes about 2 cups)
TIME: 15 minutes

3/4 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup water
4 cups fresh cranberries
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
grated zest of 1 small orange or tangerine

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil and add the rest of the ingredients. Turn the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for about ten minutes or until thick. Let the chutney cool before serving.
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Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup, Orange and Spices

These sweet potatoes get sticky and sweet, full of great holiday flavor.

SERVES: 12
TIME: a little less than an hour, largely unattended
3 3/4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled1 1/4 cup real Vermont maple syrup1/4 cup vegetable oil1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground cloves1 large orange3 star anises
Preheat the oven to 375º F.Cut each sweet potato in half horizontally and then cut each half into 1/3 planks (about four slices per half depending on the size of the sweet potato). Lay the sweet potatoes in a single layer in one large or two medium baking dishes (two 13 x 9 dishes will do the job).

Mix the maple syrup, vegetable oil, cinnamon and cloves together in a small bowl. Peel off four large strips of zest from the orange. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl with the maple syrup mixture. Pour this mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes, nestle in the strips of zest and the star anise. Bake for 45 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft and saturated.
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Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie with Maple Whipped Cream

A cool alternative (literally) to traditional pumpkin pie. If you can find pumpkin ice cream, by all means use that. If not, here’s a quick and easy way to make some using vanilla ice cream, good canned pumpkin and lots of wonderful spices. When you first make the mixture the spices might seem strong, but remember that their flavors get a bit muted when they’re ice cold. If you're doing Thanksgiving for a large crowd, make two of these. One is good for a small crowd and the ice cream alone is a simple, fun desert for a party of two.

SERVES: 6, very generously
TIME: 20 minutes + at least 3 hours in the freezer

1 cup of graham cracker crumbs (about 1 sleeve, ground in the food processor)
1 tablespoon sugar
5 tablespoons melted butter
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened

1 can pureed pumpkin (or 1-3/4 cups fresh)
1/4 teaspoon each ground allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
Maple Whipped Cream (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 350º F.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a pie pan (why bother washing a mixing bowl?). Mix together with your fingers and then press evenly to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. It helps to press the mixture with the bottom of a small measuring cup. Bake for ten minutes or until light brown. Let cool while you prepare the filling.

In a large bowl, beat together the ice cream, pumpkin and spices. Spread evenly into the cooled pie shell and stick in the freezer for at least three hours before serving. When ready to serve, spread the top with Maple Whipped Cream.

Maple Whipped Cream

Maple syrup is one of the great North American ingredients and is one of the healthiest ways to sweeten things. I put it in nearly everything, including this heavenly whipped cream.

SERVES: enough for one pie
TIME: 5 minutes

1 cup heavy cream
2-3 tablespoons real Vermont maple syrup

Whip the cream using a standing mixer, handheld mixer or whisk (a bit of a workout!) until stiff peaks form. Whisk in maple syrup to taste.
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Roasted Turkey Breast with Molasses

Brining the turkey breast guarantees moist, tender meat and roasting it with plenty of stuffing, herbs and a healthy dose of molasses assures great flavor. Preparing a turkey breast isn’t just faster than preparing a whole turkey, it’s also much easier to cook and carve.

SERVES: 6, with leftoversTIME: 2 hours + brining
1 large boned-out turkey breast, skin on
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons coarse salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups Classic Bread Stuffing (before it’s baked)1 teaspoon each finely minced fresh thyme, rosemary and sage, mixed together
2 tablespoons butter, softened
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup molasses

Rub the turkey with about two tablespoons of coarse salt and rinse under cold water. Combine 1/2 cup of salt, brown sugar and a cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the salt and sugar are totally dissolved. Pour this mixture into a container large enough to hold the turkey breast, but something it won’t totally swim in (a spaghetti pot works well). Add about two quarts of cold water to the salt and sugar mixture and put the turkey inside the container. Add more water if necessary, enough to just cover the turkey. Cover and put in the refrigerator for at least four hours, up to overnight.

When you’re ready to cook the turkey, preheat the oven to 425º F.

Drain the turkey, rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut a slit across one side of the turkey as if turning it into two long pieces, but don’t cut all the way through. Open the turkey breast like a book and evenly distribute the stuffing. Fold it back together. Flip it and gently loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers and spread the herbs over the meat, under the skin. Tie the whole breast back together snugly with four or five pieces of kitchen twine. Spread the top with butter and sprinkle with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper.

Put the turkey in a big roasting pan, roast for 30 minutes then turn the oven down to 350º F. Roast for an hour. Remove the turkey from the oven and brush it with half the molasses. Bake for another ten minutes, remove it and brush it with the remaining molasses. Return it to the oven and bake for another five to 15 minutes, or until a thermometer registers 180º F. Move the turkey to a board or platter and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Pour about half a cup of hot water into the roasting pan and scrape up all the browned bits – make sure to save all this juice for your gravy!
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Classic Bread Stuffing


Generous on the onions and fennel seeds, this stuffing is hearty and satisfying but not soggy or heavy as stuffing can sometimes be. Made with good vegetable stock, it’s vegetarian-friendly.

SERVES: 12, with leftovers
TIME: 2 hours, a lot of which is completely unattended

15 cups of 1/2˝ bread cubes (I usually have challah, wholegrain and ciabatta in my bread bin)
1/4 cup butter + 1 tablespoon cut into small pieces
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 very large onion, very finely diced (roughly 2 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, very finely diced (roughly 1/2 cup)
2 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
2 generous tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
2 1/2 cups high-quality vegetable stock, divided

Preheat the oven to 300º F. Spread the bread cubes out on two cookie sheets and bake for about ten minutes or until a bit dried out, not browned.

Meanwhile, heat the 1/4 cup of butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the onion, celery, fennel and celery seeds, rosemary, salt and pepper and sweat the mixture for 20 minutes, keeping the heat low enough so that the vegetables don’t color – you just want them to get soft and sweet. Turn off the heat, add the parsley and let the mixture cool for about ten minutes in the pan. Add the bread cubes and 2 cups of stock; stir to evenly distribute. Let the mixture sit for about an hour to let the flavors really get into everything (now’s a good time to work on your other Thanksgiving dishes!).


Reserve two cups of the stuffing for the turkey if desired.


Set the oven to 350º F. Put the stuffing into an ovenproof baking dish (you could even leave it in your sauté pan if it doesn’t have plastic handles – one less thing to wash!). Pour over the remaining stock and dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.
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Greens with Goat Cheese, Walnuts and Dried Cranberries



Endive, arugula and radicchio are easy to get all winter long and make a great combination. The dressing, one of my favorites, has maple syrup which balances the bitterness of the leaves. The dried cranberries, goat cheese and walnuts make it perfect for any festive occasion or any day for a tasty light lunch.



SERVES: 12
TIME: 10 minutes

3 small cloves garlic, pushed through a press
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons real Vermont maple syrup
1/3 red wine vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 large heads of endive, washed, chopped
1 1/3 large head radicchio, washed, chopped
4 large handfuls arugula, washed
1 1/3 cup goat cheese
3/4 cup walnuts, broken into pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries

In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, Dijon, maple syrup and vinegar. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Combine the greens in a large salad bowl. Dress with about two thirds of the dressing. Divide the greens on eight plates and scatter over the goat cheese, walnuts and dried cranberries over the greens. Drizzle each salad with a bit of the leftover dressing.
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Caramelized Brussels Sprouts


These get deliciously sweet and crispy as they cook. I have converted many a sprout cynic with this great winter side dish.


SERVES: 12
TIME: 20 minutes

2 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1/3 cup olive oil
a few generous pinches of coarse sea salta healthy drizzle of your best, best extra virgin olive oil (I covet the bottles I get from Armando Manni in Tuscany)
1 lemon, halved

Steam the sprouts for 7 minutes or until just tender. Let them cool a bit and then cut each in half, lengthwise.


Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the Brussels sprouts in a single layer, cut-side down (in batches if necessary). Leave them for 4-5 minutes, allowing them to brown thoroughly and evenly – don’t give into the temptation to stir and toss them! Keep an eye on them though – the key is to have the flame high enough to brown them but low enough not to burn them. When they’ve browned, flip each one and let the other side get color, an additional three minutes or so. Remove to a serving platter, sprinkle with the salt, drizzle with your fine extra virgin olive oil and squeeze the lemon over, trying to get a bit of juice on each one. Delish.

{GOOP: eat right, sleep well, and a little exercise}

Healthier By The Day

You want to feel healthier, everyone does. You want more energy, a better body and the ability to do what you do better. Like most other people, you’ve listened to the experts, read their advice and never been sure which of it applied to you or was really worth doing. That’s because the things that help you get healthier are usually unique to you. There is no universal plan for better health, no best diet, workout routine or way of solving problems. As unique as you are, there are some guidelines you can follow that will help improve your health:

Start with sleep. Sleep eight hours or more each night. Do what you have to do to get to sleep; there are plenty of natural agents that work. Try them: herbs (valerian), tea (chamomile), amino acids (tryptophan or hydroxy-tryptophan) and vitamins (magnesium and B6). These can be powerful sedatives and work just as well as prescription agents without the risks. Sleep plays a powerful role in determining your appetite, energy and attitude. Sleep better for two weeks before changing your diet. Then try eliminating “white” foods, those that are made with sugar, white flour and milk. If you eliminate them one at a time, start with flour, then eliminate dairy and then sugar. Sugar is easier to quit after a few weeks of no other “white” stuff. Remember high fructose corn syrup and dextrose are sugar by another name. Give yourself about two weeks to get used to each before eliminating the next one.

Exercise regularly. I know you want to but you don’t have the energy to do it. Sleep eight hours for two weeks, then start eliminating “white” foods. After two weeks of sleeping and eating better, you’ll have the energy to exercise. Begin as you like. If you are totally out of shape, start by walking 15 minutes a day and add a minute every day for the first month. At the end of a month, you’ll be up to 45 minutes a day, which should make you ready for whatever more strenuous form of exercise you want to try. Experiment with them all to see what works best for you and stick with it.

Police your thoughts and deal with your feelings constructively. Most of the background chatter in our mind is worrying, judging, criticizing, defending and complaining. Catch yourself and create a distraction by redirecting your thoughts toward the things that you are grateful for and optimistic about.All these are free (okay, except if you have to buy the sleepers) and all are within your ability. No professionals required. By doing them you will create a customized health plan that will surely result in you getting healthier by the day.

Christian Renna, D.O. LifeSpan Medicine, 2008

Dr. Christian Renna is a nationally recognized expert in the field of contemporary preventive medicine and the founder of LifeSpan Medicine clinics.


Another Inconvenient Truth

The human body is a self-healing, self-renewing, self-cleansing organism. When the right conditions are created, vibrant well-being is its natural state. We have departed from the ways of nature and live under less than natural conditions. Like global warming, the toxicity of our planet is undeniable. I call it "Another Inconvenient Truth." The air we breathe, the water we drink and shower with, the foods we eat, the cosmetics we use and the buildings we live and work in, are loaded with toxic chemicals that alone or in combination cause disease, suffering and even death. When we remove these obstacles and add what is lacking, our bodies bounce back into health as if by magic. This is natural, common-sense medicine, enabling the body to heal, regenerate and even rejuvenate itself.

With this in mind, if you live in a modern city and want to stay healthy, there are two fundamental practices to follow: detoxification cleansing and eating real foods, just as nature intended food to be.

1) Detoxification cleansing:

Approximately eight hours after eating our last meal the processes of digestion, absorption and assimilation are completed and the body enters into detoxification mode, a function we don’t think about often. A healthy body, used to eating natural foods, needs around four hours to cleanse and detoxify itself from all the waste products of normal metabolism. This is without counting the toxic overload of modern life. It’s a really good practice to fast every day for 12 hours after our last meal: eight hours to complete food processing plus four to allow for detoxification. So if your last meal is at 10pm, don’t eat anything before 10am. Breakfast should be exactly that, break-fast, or breaking the fast. This would be enough in a toxin-free world. Since that is not the case, we should periodically make an extra effort to go deeper and catch up with the cleaning, as it were. This is where detox cleansing programs come into play. There are many programs available today based on different systems and philosophies of healing. Some are great, some dangerous. Make sure someone who understands and has experience guides you.

How often and for how long one should engage in detox programs depends on how clean one is to begin with. In addition to all of the above, one should educate oneself as to how to keep our environment toxin-free. Water and air filters, eco-cleaning utensils, chemical free cosmetics, green architecture, alternative fuel vehicles….

2) Real foods:

We used to pick our food from trees and the earth, and hunt or fish the rest. Now we buy it in modern supermarkets. Ninety percent of the products in supermarkets come in some kind of container. In order to extend shelf life, these food-like products are loaded with chemicals, preservatives and conservatives that kill bacteria. Most products also contain additives to give them the color, smell, taste and texture that will tempt us to buy and eat them. The remaining 10% of what is edible – the produce, the fish, the meats and the dairy products – are loaded with chemicals as well. All of these chemicals cause havoc inside our bodies, being the most intimate source of toxins for us since we throw this mixture in our bellies and soon enough it passes into our blood.Returning to a more natural way of eating is the best way to avoid disease and premature aging. It also keeps the weight off. Buy organic foods, shop in your local farmer’s markets. Increase the consumption of vegetables, fruits, seeds, grains and legumes. More raw foods are better for health (enzymes remain intact), the environment (smaller carbon footprint) and the pocket (lower utility bills).To round things up, don’t forget to nourish your soul. The future of medicine is “no medicine.” If we return to a more natural life, our bodies become the best doctors.

With love,
Alejandro Junger, MD

Dr. Alejandro Junger is a cardiologist who practices integrative healing. He currently sees patients in his private practice at the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York and, in 2008, he was named the Director of Integrative Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Holistic Detox

My journey with nutrition came from looking after performance artists and dancers who were trying to find a healthy balance between diet, looking good and having enough energy to perform. I use the age-old wisdom of ayurvedic medicine, the holistic approach of osteopathic medicine and basic common sense to help patients realize how to achieve their own optimum health. The older, more natural forms of medicine work predominantly on promoting and improving the body’s ability to eliminate waste (detoxification) and also towards finding balance and well-being. My motivation is towards not only the nutritional needs of a healthy body, but also on encouraging better sleep patterns, ways of coping with stress and reducing its effects on the body, and teaching individuals how to care for themselves and make healthy lifestyle choices: the true mind-body-spirit sense of health and well-being.

My first bestselling book, Joshi’s Holistic Detox explains in more detail the fundamentals of my detox and dietary program, but its essence lies in:

• Avoiding all refined carbohydrates including white flour and sugarAvoiding all foods with chemical preservatives and flavorings including foods that contain toxic elements (such as heavy metals, e.g. tuna)
• Drinking at least one to two liters of pure water daily to help the body clean and detoxify itself
• Eating fruit and vegetables that are ripe, fresh and as free of chemical fertilizers as possible
• Minimizing tea, coffee, dairy products, and alcoholBoosting your health and vitality with a diet rich in organic, ripe fruits and vegetables.
• Eating protein such as white fish or white meats with each mealSleeping at least eight hours a night and practicing some gentle exercise, yoga or meditation every day to reduce the effects of stress on the body.

Neish Joshi, Joshi Clinic

Dr. Neish Joshi is the founder of the Joshi Clinic in London, and has developed a unique approach in his practice, embracing centuries-old Indian traditions, ancient Ayurvedic wisdom and a wide variety of other healing philosophies from all over the world with both eastern and western approaches to orthodox medicine.

All photos and copy: GOOP

{cook: Gwyneth's Recipes}

Just this morning, I was having an in depth cooking conversation with my housekeeper (aka lifesaver & friend), Maria, about the incredible tamales she made for us last week. I promise to post the recipe once I can weasel it out of her! Then these recipes were in my In Box this morning, courtesy of GOOP. They look gorgeous- and healthy, to boot.

It's that time of year where I am feeling inspired to spend time in the kitchen and be nurturing. I'm going to start posting lots of recipes I am testing out. I hope you enjoy them. Cooking is a passion of mine, but I can only cook when I am happy. It's been a tough month for me since being back from the Hamptons, and I have not been inspired to cook. When I feel myself longing to cook and create in the kitchen, I know there are better days to come.

Please let me know what you think of these!

(all photos and recipe copy courtesy of GOOP)

CARAMELIZED BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN

I recently found this recipe in Food & Wine magazine. It’s from Charles Phan, who runs the great Vietnamese restaurant, Slanted Door, in San Francisco. When I make it, I use a little less sugar, a lot more cilantro and organic chicken breasts (I prefer the texture of white meat in this preparation). This literally takes minutes, is so easy and tastes like what you always imagine take-out will taste like (but sadly never does). Serve this with jasmine or brown rice and stir-fried or steamed vegetables.

SERVES: 4 generously
TIME: 10 minutes

2/3 cup dark brown sugar (unrefined)
1/3 cup fish sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons finely grated garlic
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
1 or 2 fresh Thai chilis (to your taste!), halved
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 pounds organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces (1/2”)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, water, garlic, ginger, pepper and chili and reserve.In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and cook the shallots until softened and a bit brown, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and stir-fry, browning it all over, about a minute. Add the sugar mixture and simmer over high heat until the chicken is totally cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

ASIAN TUNA SANDWICHES WITH SOY AND SESAME MAYONNAISE

This started as an elegant, plated tuna dish, but it quickly turned into an out-of-this-world sandwich. If you’d like, you can omit the bread and simply serve the tuna on a bed of arugula and use the soy and sesame mayonnaise as a dressing.

SERVES: 4
TIME: 10 minutes

2 tuna steaks, about half a pound each
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
8 slices ciabatta
Extra virgin olive oil
Soy and sesame mayonnaise (see recipe below)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup arugula

SOY AND SESAME MAYONNAISE

Beyond quick and simple but full of flavor. Also a nice dip for steamed vegetables.

MAKES: 1/2 cup (more than enough for 4 sandwiches)
TIME: 1 minute!

1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise (or Veganaise – the only substitute that tastes good)
2 teaspoons shoyu (soy sauce)
2 teaspoons roasted sesame oil
Whisk everything together.

Slice each tuna steak in half horizontally so you end up with four thin steaks (more bang for your buck!). Rub them with the peanut oil and ginger. Set a large, nonstick skillet over high heat. When it’s hot, cook the tuna steaks for 20-30 seconds on each side or until just seared. Meanwhile, grill or toast the bread and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Spread the soy and sesame mayo on one side of each slice and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Distribute the tuna and arugula evenly on four slices of bread and sandwich with the remaining four slices. Devour.

BUCKWHEAT AND BANANA PANCAKES

I’ve got a thing for pancakes. This combination of nutty buckwheat and sweet, sticky banana is just great. You could sprinkle chopped walnuts on the pancakes as they’re cooking for a full-on pancake-meets-banana bread experience. These happen to be vegan, but don’t taste like it. Buckwheat flour adds a lot of value to the plain white flour – it’s rich in nutrients like calcium, iron, B vitamins and protein, and it's gluten-free. Definitely worth a trip to the health food store.

SERVES: 3 or 4 (makes about a dozen pancakes)
TIME: 15 minutes

1 1/4 cups soy or rice milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup, plus more for serving
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or white spelt flour (substitute rice flour to make pancakes completely gluten-free)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bananas, thinly sliced

Mix all the wet ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a slightly bigger bowl. Add the wet to the dry and stir just enough to combine – be careful not to over-mix (that’s how you get tough pancakes).Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat (I love Jamie Oliver’s nonstick cookware – it’s so slippery that I don’t need to use any oil or butter). Ladle as many pancakes as possible onto your griddle. Place a few slices of banana on top of each pancake. Cook for about a minute and a half on the first side or until the surface is covered with small bubbles and the underside is nicely browned. Flip and cook for about a minute on the second side. Repeat the process until you run out of batter. Serve stacked high with plenty of maple syrup.

{GOOP by Gwyneth Paltrow Update}

I reported a while back that the lovely Gwyneth Paltrow launched a new website called GOOP. I just received her first email that I find to be smart, thoughtful, and informative... I love it. Her thoughts and questions are on target with how I feel, questions that I am asking, but noone seems to be answering. Do you know someone like the person described below? I DO.

So far so good, Gwynnie.

Here it is:

This newsletter really needs very little by way of introduction. I am interested in spiritual disciplines within different religions and schools of thought. I thought it would be inspiring to periodically ask a question to a group of thinkers from various traditions on the subjects that often confound me. Below you will find the first question and answers by Deepak Chopra, Michael Berg of the Kabbalah Centre, Episcopal priest Cynthia Bourgeault, Sufi Shaikh Kabir Helminski, and New York psychologist Karen Binder-Brynes.

Question:I have a friend who sees the world in a pessimistic light. This person is highly suspicious of people and situations, and sees, as well as experiences negativity at most turns. Why is this and what does it mean? What can be done to help someone of this nature?

Deepak Chopra replies:

A: First, it helps to understand the real nature of the problem. Imagine the self as a huge steamship, fully loaded, set on reaching a destination. When you set eyes on this ship in mid-journey, you don't see it being loaded, leaving port and settling on where it wants to go. By analogy, when you see your friend, you meet her at a given moment, but she is sailing through her life fully loaded with past influences – all of us express our entire lives in this very minute. The minute is fleeting, but the momentum carrying us forward is immense.

Your friend’s pessimism isn’t about what’s here and now. It’s about the fully loaded cargo she’s carrying. Here and now you are tempted to say, “See? There’s no reason to be suspicious or negative. It’s a beautiful day, we all love you. Be happy.” This approach never works. Not because your friend is stubborn but because this beautiful day and your loving feelings are a tiny fraction of her reality, her fully loaded cargo.

If you want to help someone in such a situation, keep the steamship analogy in mind. Her ship isn’t going to change course unless she wants to steer it in a new direction. You can travel with her, showing her a new direction. But don’t take responsibility. This isn’t your journey, it’s hers. A good deal of negativity is ego-based. Beneath the surface, at a subtler level of the self, she is afraid and insecure. She wants your loving support, and sometimes the clouds clear and she sees that you want the best for her. Keep offering that subtle influence of love and support. Don’t confront her head on (her ego will only get more stubborn), and don't be tempted to psychoanalyze her. She and you are both on a journey, and if it happens that you exchange a burst of light on the way, appreciate that and be alert to the next time you can share a moment of clarity.

Love,Deepak
Deepak Chopra is the President of the Alliance for A New Humanity http://www.deepakchopra.com/

Michael Berg replies:

A: What we see is who we are. When we are in a good place, we see goodness all around us. When we are in a bad place, we see darkness. We might think we’re picking up these flaws in others because we are smarter or better. But the deeper truth is our judgments are merely an indication of where we are at spiritually.

Kabbalah teaches that within everything in this world can be found good and bad aspects. We choose – consciously or unconsciously – which part we wish to see. That choice is a reflection of who we are.

When we meet someone for the first time, we can focus on their positive or negative qualities. The direction we go in is a choice we are making. The same goes for new situations. Obviously there are times we need to discern the pros and cons of people or situations because it affects our well-being. That’s part of life. But most of the time when we judge it is not out of necessity to make a decision, it is simply because our negativity causes us to see negativity in others.

In addition to indicating where we are at, there is an exchange of energy when we judge someone. Kabbalah explains that focusing on someone’s negativity actually brings that energy into our lives! Certainly, no one wants to consciously bring negativity into our lives, which is the whole concept; we are unaware.

This week, the lesson for us is twofold. First, be aware of this concept: what I see is where I am at. Develop within yourself the proactive ability to focus only on the good in people or situations. Second, know that by seeking out the positive in others and in all aspects of life, you are awakening – and strengthening – that goodness inside of you.

– Michael Berg
Michael Berg is Co-Director of the Kabbalah Centre

Cynthia Bourgeault replies:

A: I am not so sure it’s a question of nature, but of nurture – or lack thereof. We live in a world where fear and cynicism are running sky high, where traditional institutions of faith and culture are breaking down, and where our dislocation from nature and the natural rhythms of life leave our souls a little pent up and crazy. Suspicion and pessimism are pretty good defenses against a world gone mad. But the great spiritual teachings of the ages have suggested a radically counter-intuitive response. When this same question came up in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s great novel The Brothers Karamazov, the wise elder Fr. Zossima said in response, “Go help someone. Reach out to a brother or sister in need. Feed the hungry, heal the sick – (or at least, take on your small share of the task) – and then, only then, will you come to know that the world is trustworthy and God is real.” His point is tough, but true: First the eye of the heart must open, and only then will one see confirmation in the external world. As long as suspicion and pessimism are being projected, suspicion and pessimism are what the cosmos will confirm.

So how to break the vicious cycle? Fr. Zossima’s advice is still as true today as it was in his time: look for a chance to serve. Volunteer in a shelter, a food pantry, a nursing home: it will soften your heart. Spend time in nature, in a playground with young children; sing!; read love poetry; hang out with the "good, the true and the beautiful," however they speak to you. The problem is that we are starving – all of us, really – for the energy of beauty and goodness so long absent from our contemporary cultural experience. But we have to start making these energies ourselves – from within ourselves. That is not only an individual task; it is our collective human task and our planet will thank us for it.

– Cynthia Bourgeault
Cynthia Bourgeault is an Episcopal priest, writer and retreat leader. She is founding director of the Aspen Wisdom School in Colorado and principal visiting teacher for the Contemplative Society in Victoria, BC, Canada.

Shaikh Kabir Helminski replies:

A: When our experience of the outer world is primarily through the filter of negative thinking, we gradually lose the capacity to experience life with an open heart. The thinking mind, at its best, may be a competent analyst and critic, but a purified heart is needed to perceive beauty and meaning, and the greatest suffering is meaninglessness.

Years of negative mental and emotional habits of perceiving the world corrode the mirror of the heart. The soul can become infected with negativity and lose the capacity to recognize the grace, beauty and generosity of what truly is. The mind then becomes a very tight prison.

Hope lies in two capacities of the soul: One is presence – a wider, meditative state of awareness that encompasses our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Presence offers a perspective on our thoughts and negative attitudes. Presence engenders a spaciousness which opens the doors and windows of the mental prison of negativity. Presence develops with meditation, inner silence and stillness, and mindful activity.

The second necessary capacity of the soul that can free us from the prison of the mind is a knowing heart, a faculty that begins to reveal itself in that state of presence. The heart perceives the simple goodness of life, the exquisite beauty of simple being, of relationships, of existence. The thinking mind cannot arrive at this perception alone. The head says, “No,” and “But...” Only the heart responds with an unconditional “Yes!” Only the heart can grasp the goodness of being, discover meaning in life and be grateful.

It’s simple, really, but the thinking mind will stubbornly argue otherwise until it is taught to be quiet and listen to the heart. Ultimately the thinking mind can be informed by the heart and translate the perceptions of the heart into language, communication and wisdom.

If we are habitually negative, suspicious and cynical about life, we are dumping garbage in and around the house of the soul. If we see with a knowing heart, keep a positive vision, encourage ourselves and others, keep the faith, we establish beautiful gardens in the soul.

– Shaikh Kabir Helminski
Kabir Helminski is Shaikh of the Mevlevi Order, Co-director of The Threshold Society (Sufism.org).

Dr. Karen Binder-Brynes replies:

A: Your friend has developed a protective defense system at seeing the world as a negative and unsafe place. Most humans are not born pessimistic, rather develop these tendencies as a result of early negative interactions, disappointments or trauma within their worlds, most likely in the immediate environment, i.e., family and/or caretakers. As a result, they find it safer to not have faith in things turning out right, or in believing that they will not always be wronged, struggle and suffer. This belief irrationally protects one from being continually disappointed. Unfortunately, these negative beliefs and feelings often attract negative energy from the universe, which in turn tends to reinforce their negative philosophy of life. These pessimistic feelings become so entrenched and familiar that they become like old friends. “Pessimism, when you get used to it, is just as agreeable as optimism.” –Arnold Bennet. Often, pessimists do not realize the impact that their negativity has on others: friends, families, co-workers and on just how much their “glass half-empty” feelings fulfill the very prophecy that “no matter what I do, things will always be bad.” Your friend needs to first realize that they have a pessimistic view of life and then must work hard at re-framing how they look at the world and how they came to have these beliefs. Anything your friend can do to help restore their faith and belief in the goodness of others, including themselves, can be helpful. For example, volunteer work is often a great way to start feeling better about oneself and give one a sense of well-being and meaning in the world. As a friend, injecting humor towards your friend’s pessimism is a relief mechanism for you and might help lighten your comrade’s heavy load, even if just for a moment!

– Karen Binder-Brynes, Ph.D.
Dr. Karen Binder-Brynes is a leading psychologist with a private practice in New York City for the past 15 years.

{GOOP by Gwyneth Paltrow}

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Oscar winner launches lifestyle website
Monday, September 22, 2008

(NEW YORK) Gwyneth Paltrow has launched her own lifestyle website, GOOP by Gwyneth Paltrow. It's a "collection of experiences [of] what makes life good" according to the site. Currently in its nascent stages, each of the sections (Make, Go, Get, Do, Be, See) link to an essay by Paltrow. Want to live like Gwyneth? Here's a few tips. "Make your life good. Invest in what's real. Cook a meal for someone you love. Pause before reacting. Clean out your space. Read something beautiful. Treat yourself to something. Go to a city you've never been to. Learn something new. Don't be lazy. Workout and stick with it. GOOP. Make it great." The first email newsletter will launch on Thursday.

GOOP is the latest brand expansion by Paltrow who last night launched her PBS culinary show with Mario Batali, Spain...On the Road Again. Last week, she made an appearance on Oprah to showcase her personal workouts with fitness guru Tracy Anderson, who recently launched a series of fitness DVDs. Comments from Paltrow's publicist were not received by press time.

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