The Elements - Earth, air, fire and water.
Our world is conjugated by four delicious combinations of elements, all that nourish the planet and our bodies in unique ways. These 4 energetic building blocks interact to create life. Earth our Mother is the primal hostess to minerals and rocks that make up our soil that grows our food. Water is the universal solvent that assures our survival on the planet. It courses through our body and soil to take nutrients, chemicals, and minerals to and from where they are needed. Air is a mix of gasses and our first addiction begins with our cry from our mother’s womb. We have this beautiful exchange of breathing out what plant life needs while in turn, plants give us the oxygen we require to live. Fire shares a close friendship with air, combined they give birth to light, heat, smoke, destruction, and purification. Fire gives us warmth, protection, life, and the ability to cook food. All four elements are constantly shifting in our body and planet and working exchanges with one another to create or destroy.
After doing a bit of research I found that elements have been assigned many qualities like color, emotions, foods, geometric shape, direction, strengths, weaknesses, and even a specific chakra in the body. I never knew! Some of these qualities are theories and not based on proven scientific facts, but nonetheless I found them to be quite interesting. What I do know is that I have felt both out of balance and in balance and I so do prefer feeling the latter. I can say without a doubt that nutrition is one of the pillars to help us to feel well.
The topic of elements in this month’s edition immediately brought Michael Pollan’s book Cooked and his 4 part documentary Cooked to mind. Pollan has given us a fun, interesting, and insightful look into our cooking traditions. Foods are transformed by the elements which in turn transform us. It’s an eye-opening film and I recommend you stream it. I am going to briefly touch on some of his ideas.
Earth cooking embraces the magic of fermentation. This process relies on the microbes of the earth and air to birth new delectables. Fermentation is considered “live” food and has made a huge resurgence in the last few years. I am convinced it is very healthy to consume live food and that it should be part of our daily diet. Homemade vinegar and fermented sauerkraut are one of the simplest places to start. I first made Kombucha 35 years ago and find it delicious, inexpensive, and simple to make. I frequently experiment with ferments and hope to perfect my results. I have grown some strange looking globs when trying to make ferments, some that hit the compost. However, the element of surprise is often part of the fermenting process and likely to be part of its appeal. My advice...embrace surprises. Pickling is easy and a good place to begin. I have even reused leftover pickle brines from purchased commercial pickles to make refrigerator pickles with success. I am very much into upcycling and reusing what I have. Recently I discovered that after I finished my pickled jalapenos I could add the remaining juice to my coleslaws for a little zip! It was tasty! https://foodhero.com/blogs/reuse-pickle-juice
Air cooking entails finding ways to trap air into foods that help create texture and taste. Bread is the perfect example of the beautiful way air is captured into the dough to spark the process of fermentation. These bubbles of gas are what makes the bread rise. The science of bread making is beyond me but the appreciation of good bread may run deep in our DNA. I rarely bake bread and have not mastered it, mainly out of the fear that I will eat the whole loaf right from the oven! For me, air might better be explored by using my air fryer to cook food. While I am fairly new to this kitchen gadget I absolutely love the crispness and minimal oil needed when cooking foods. We eat sweet potato fries more often now since acquiring this fun machine with none of the guilt or mess associated with deep fat frying. Yuck. That’s a good thing.
Water, for Michael Pollen, is all about simmering stews. I am all in on this one. I love soups! They are a quick, simple, versatile, inexpensive, tasty, and nourishing food. Soups may be the perfect food. I’ve read that there may even be a genetic memory attached to the making and enjoyment of soup. Can’t you just imagine the joy of learning how to heat/cook food using hot stones to simmer stews from a fire pit? I find children are especially fond of soup as it is easy to ingest. I still remember how much effort it took to chew meat as a child and sometimes all that remained in my mouth was a dry tasteless mass that was impossible to swallow it usually found its way buried in my napkin. Is it any wonder why many children do not prefer to eat meat?
Fire’s magic has allowed humans to enjoy foods cooked as we are the only species that do this. Undoubtedly a new joyous culinary world sprang from the bubbling cauldrons. A huge leap for humankind. In my home, it is also the only cooking that has really been embraced by my husband, aka the meat worshipper. Yes, while he might make delicious French toast or his famous banana bread (shh, it’s Martha Stewart’s recipe) it is meat that he finds central for his eating enjoyment. I’m working on him! He is not alone in this mindset. I cannot tell you how often we will have a dinner party and after I have made the menu, shopped, cleaned the house, set the table, and prepared the salad, side dishes and dessert I hear from the men at the table, “Great job Jerry, the meat was delicious.” Don’t think these words deter me, quite the opposite I am simply more determined than ever to make veggies center stage. Whether I will be successful is unknown but the journey is my path and passion.
One way I figured out to bring children on board eating vegetables is to get them interested through my Vegetable Mandala activity. Let children make their own discoveries and undoubtedly we will all learn something new along the journey. I’m introducing my Vegetable Mandala I activity so you can all see how it works.
After doing a bit of research I found that elements have been assigned many qualities like color, emotions, foods, geometric shape, direction, strengths, weaknesses, and even a specific chakra in the body. I never knew! Some of these qualities are theories and not based on proven scientific facts, but nonetheless I found them to be quite interesting. What I do know is that I have felt both out of balance and in balance and I so do prefer feeling the latter. I can say without a doubt that nutrition is one of the pillars to help us to feel well.
The topic of elements in this month’s edition immediately brought Michael Pollan’s book Cooked and his 4 part documentary Cooked to mind. Pollan has given us a fun, interesting, and insightful look into our cooking traditions. Foods are transformed by the elements which in turn transform us. It’s an eye-opening film and I recommend you stream it. I am going to briefly touch on some of his ideas.
Earth cooking embraces the magic of fermentation. This process relies on the microbes of the earth and air to birth new delectables. Fermentation is considered “live” food and has made a huge resurgence in the last few years. I am convinced it is very healthy to consume live food and that it should be part of our daily diet. Homemade vinegar and fermented sauerkraut are one of the simplest places to start. I first made Kombucha 35 years ago and find it delicious, inexpensive, and simple to make. I frequently experiment with ferments and hope to perfect my results. I have grown some strange looking globs when trying to make ferments, some that hit the compost. However, the element of surprise is often part of the fermenting process and likely to be part of its appeal. My advice...embrace surprises. Pickling is easy and a good place to begin. I have even reused leftover pickle brines from purchased commercial pickles to make refrigerator pickles with success. I am very much into upcycling and reusing what I have. Recently I discovered that after I finished my pickled jalapenos I could add the remaining juice to my coleslaws for a little zip! It was tasty! https://foodhero.com/blogs/reuse-pickle-juice
Air cooking entails finding ways to trap air into foods that help create texture and taste. Bread is the perfect example of the beautiful way air is captured into the dough to spark the process of fermentation. These bubbles of gas are what makes the bread rise. The science of bread making is beyond me but the appreciation of good bread may run deep in our DNA. I rarely bake bread and have not mastered it, mainly out of the fear that I will eat the whole loaf right from the oven! For me, air might better be explored by using my air fryer to cook food. While I am fairly new to this kitchen gadget I absolutely love the crispness and minimal oil needed when cooking foods. We eat sweet potato fries more often now since acquiring this fun machine with none of the guilt or mess associated with deep fat frying. Yuck. That’s a good thing.
Water, for Michael Pollen, is all about simmering stews. I am all in on this one. I love soups! They are a quick, simple, versatile, inexpensive, tasty, and nourishing food. Soups may be the perfect food. I’ve read that there may even be a genetic memory attached to the making and enjoyment of soup. Can’t you just imagine the joy of learning how to heat/cook food using hot stones to simmer stews from a fire pit? I find children are especially fond of soup as it is easy to ingest. I still remember how much effort it took to chew meat as a child and sometimes all that remained in my mouth was a dry tasteless mass that was impossible to swallow it usually found its way buried in my napkin. Is it any wonder why many children do not prefer to eat meat?
Fire’s magic has allowed humans to enjoy foods cooked as we are the only species that do this. Undoubtedly a new joyous culinary world sprang from the bubbling cauldrons. A huge leap for humankind. In my home, it is also the only cooking that has really been embraced by my husband, aka the meat worshipper. Yes, while he might make delicious French toast or his famous banana bread (shh, it’s Martha Stewart’s recipe) it is meat that he finds central for his eating enjoyment. I’m working on him! He is not alone in this mindset. I cannot tell you how often we will have a dinner party and after I have made the menu, shopped, cleaned the house, set the table, and prepared the salad, side dishes and dessert I hear from the men at the table, “Great job Jerry, the meat was delicious.” Don’t think these words deter me, quite the opposite I am simply more determined than ever to make veggies center stage. Whether I will be successful is unknown but the journey is my path and passion.
One way I figured out to bring children on board eating vegetables is to get them interested through my Vegetable Mandala activity. Let children make their own discoveries and undoubtedly we will all learn something new along the journey. I’m introducing my Vegetable Mandala I activity so you can all see how it works.
The Vegetable Mandala I will help your entire family, from the youngest to the oldest explore and engage in the vegetable kingdom. Children are often both curious and cautious about the unknown. This easy activity utilizes your child’s curiosity while discovering all the delicious flavors, shapes, colors, and intricacies of vegetables. Familiarizing and connecting children with how vegetables are grown, and how they look, feel and taste is key to getting them on the plate with interest. The mandala is a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) based activity. Try the mandala activity while shopping in the vegetable aisle at the store, in your kitchen, or in the vegetable garden. Approach vegetables from a fun, fresh, and new perspective together as a family and remember there are no wrong answers. To help bring out the natural scientist in all of us try using a magnifying glass to enlarge what details you may have missed.
Be spontaneous and share quality time together! Embark on these discoveries with a fresh mindset and no preconceived ideas or knowledgeable remarks. I worked 10 years for a progressive preschool where teachers were not allowed to “share” or give answers to the children. Instead, they would help the children investigate possible answers. This type of learning is more meaningful, exciting, and complete since the child is self-directed. By letting the children feel safe to explore all possibilities we are teaching them to be confident, engaged, and curious. Often I found myself surprised by a fresh perception. I once showed a 4 yr. old child a kiwifruit and asked him if he knew what it was. Without hesitation, he touched it and said, “yes, it’s a brown fuzzy fruit!” Who can argue with that? Never underestimate our little ones!
Be spontaneous and share quality time together! Embark on these discoveries with a fresh mindset and no preconceived ideas or knowledgeable remarks. I worked 10 years for a progressive preschool where teachers were not allowed to “share” or give answers to the children. Instead, they would help the children investigate possible answers. This type of learning is more meaningful, exciting, and complete since the child is self-directed. By letting the children feel safe to explore all possibilities we are teaching them to be confident, engaged, and curious. Often I found myself surprised by a fresh perception. I once showed a 4 yr. old child a kiwifruit and asked him if he knew what it was. Without hesitation, he touched it and said, “yes, it’s a brown fuzzy fruit!” Who can argue with that? Never underestimate our little ones!
How to play: Vegetable Mandala I (A circle activity game of veggies)
As shown on the mandala, this activity is divided into four steps which spell E A T S. Note: To play this activity, first select a vegetable to explore. Since carrots and beets are colorful, have edible tops, and are available all year, they work well with this activity. Work your way clockwise around the Vegetable Mandala.
1. Examine your vegetable like a detective, using a magnifying glass if you have one. Examine the vegetable, list and discuss what you see . Can you find a trace of soil? How does the veggie feel … hard, soft, smooth, rough,etc.?
2. Ask and encourage questions. What would you like to know? Does it grow above or below ground? What do plants need to grow? Do they all look exactly alike? Take a guess as to what's inside your vegetable.
As shown on the mandala, this activity is divided into four steps which spell E A T S. Note: To play this activity, first select a vegetable to explore. Since carrots and beets are colorful, have edible tops, and are available all year, they work well with this activity. Work your way clockwise around the Vegetable Mandala.
1. Examine your vegetable like a detective, using a magnifying glass if you have one. Examine the vegetable, list and discuss what you see . Can you find a trace of soil? How does the veggie feel … hard, soft, smooth, rough,etc.?
2. Ask and encourage questions. What would you like to know? Does it grow above or below ground? What do plants need to grow? Do they all look exactly alike? Take a guess as to what's inside your vegetable.
3. Try the vegetable. Decide how you will eat a vegetable that may be new to you. Will you have a mouse’s nibble or a brave bite? Will you try it raw or cooked? How does it feel on your tongue? Can you eat the flower and/or seeds? Do the parts all taste the same?
4. Summarize what you have learned. Take a minute to review and reflect on what you have discovered. Draw a picture of your vegetable; what shape is it? If you cooked a recipe, add your notes to What I Think at the end of your recipe. Rate your recipe, too. Did it get a smiley face? No? Could it if you changed something? How would you try it next time?
4. Summarize what you have learned. Take a minute to review and reflect on what you have discovered. Draw a picture of your vegetable; what shape is it? If you cooked a recipe, add your notes to What I Think at the end of your recipe. Rate your recipe, too. Did it get a smiley face? No? Could it if you changed something? How would you try it next time?
Heide Horeth and Dalai
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