I visited a dear friend in Minnesota over the weekend. One evening we threw together a meal on the fancy nachos/tacos theme. For mine I used refried and cooked whole beans for the filling, an avocado and some salsa. However, I wanted that "cheese" component that is so traditional to taco-making! Long story short, we didn't go to Whole Foods so I didn't have access to nutritional yeast, Daiya, or any other form of acceptable (palatable) cheese-substitutes. Experimentation resulted and luckily it was successful. Here's the recipe:
No Nutritional Yeast Cheesy Sauce:
Cashews
Water
White Balsamic Vinegar (or another vinegar of your choosing--this, however, is a key component)
Garlic powder
Paprika
Fancy salt
Lemon (optional)
Take a rough handful of cashews and put in blender. Add water to about the same level as the cashews. Keep extra cashews and water on hand to adjust the consistency as needed. Add a solid pour of vinegar to the blender. A splash of lemon juice would have been nice, had I had it. Add a generous amount of salt (high quality real/kosher salt or, preferably, Himalayan pink salt). Add at few good shakes of garlic powder. Finally, add about 1 tablespoon of paprika. This was a happy accident in my case, but it worked out well and I believe it is the key (along with the vinegar) to the good flavor of the cashew sauce.
Blend together until a uniform consistency is achieved. Taste test and adjust ingredients as you wish. Use as a dip and/or a sauce!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
1st Year of ND program DONE!
Well, I cannot say I believed it would happen but it has: I am done with my first year of the Doctor of Naturopathy program at Bastyr University. This means I am only 3 years away from becoming a doctor, a primary care physician, trained in a wide variety of healing modalities that work with the body and its own healing tendencies and abilities.
This year has been intense--unlike anything I've ever experienced and could hardly even imagine. In a list, here are the courses I have completed this year:
Anatomy (3 quarters)
Living Anatomy (3 quarters: intro to physical exams and finding anatomy on living people)
Gross Lab (3 quarters: cadaver dissection)
Physiology (3 quarters)
Biochemistry (3 quarters)
Plants in Ceremony (weekend elective)
Histology
Research Stats and Design
Fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Naturopathic Medicine in Historical Context/Clinical Theory/Global Context (3 quarters, each with a different focus but overall learning about the history of and philosophies behind naturopathic medicine)
Hydrotherapy/Physiotherapy (with Lab)
Embryology
Myofascial Analysis
Botanical Medicine 1 (I'll take 5 quarters of this series)
Neuroscience (with Lab)
12 credits Summer Quarter
18 credits Fall Quarter
24 Winter Quarter
23.5 Spring Quarter
Total: 77.5 credits
This is not to mention the "extracurricular" activities I attended weekly including Dr. Love's numerous tutorials for anatomy, working at the Bookstore, participating in the Doctor Mentor program in which we get to talk to a real-life ND about his real-life practice, going to yoga on Fridays, occasionally trying to go for a walk/jog outside, and doing a little photography when I could.
Fortunately for such an intense program, I have been blessed with 100 or so new, wonderful, caring, inspiring, brilliant, motivated friends. Our corp of "First Years" feel like a tight-knit family and even teachers have mentioned how connected we are, which doesn't happen with every class. We are a class that will raise hell, combine forces, and let you know how we feel and what you should do about it. We organize, start groups and projects, we innovate. We are incredibly diverse, coming from so many different life journeys, countries, states, professions. I think our youngest member is 22 and our oldest is old enough to be a mother to some of us. We have quiet students, awkward students, loud students, students who in Aleyamma's mind look like celebrities, we have students who are dating other students, students who you wish you were dating, students who you want to be around all the time and learn her/his wisdom. We have students in our class who are already natural healers and some who need practice. We are a supportive group, a loving group. We have spirit! We organized a whole themed week for finals this Spring Quarter, wearing something specific each day. As students we love to chat, gossip, share tips and news and recipes, hatch plans, and think about our futures. We truly want to get to know each other better. We study together and support our classmates who need help (as long as we know she/he needs it!). I have never been so inspired by a group of people around me, and I am so very thankful to be in this class. I literally could not have done it without this group of amazing people.
My professors have been a mixed bag, as they would be in any given school. Doctors Love, Fredrickson, Aleyamma Thomas, Brinton, Paul Karsten, Modell, Jessica Bean, Masa, Neary, Biery, Littleton, Greg Yasuda, Kate Broderick, Christy Lee-Engel, Rubinstein, Pamela Snider, Dazey, K., and many others I'm forgetting to name here. Some where absolutely amazing teachers and some were not, but all were part of my first year experience that I hope to never forget.
I mustn't forget to mention all the support our class received from the upperclass students. Starting in Summer Quarter the 2nd Years were there for us, guiding us along. For our first Gross Lab midterm exam in Fall Quarter, the 2nd Years put supportive signs on all of our lockers saying "_______ is a superstar!", put up a banner in the hallway wishing us luck, and decorated the hallway ceiling with balloons and streamers in anatomy-appropriate colors (to represent arteries, veins, nerves, and lymph). They handed out stickers before the test and cheered for us and gave us medical gloves filled with candy after we were finished. In what other medical program can you imagine this happening? It didn't stop there, either. During the rest of the year the "older students" (as I sometimes say, not necessarily referring to age) were there for advice, test prep, and many were our invaluable TAs and tutors.
Bastyr itself--again, like any school--has its ups and downs, its craziness and its amazingness. Our school changed its colors from green to (basically) maroon and gold, which is still causing an opinionated stir among students. The cafeteria has had trials and tribulations with adding a meat station, really expensive sandwich station, upping the prices of food without disclosure, making amazing gf/v food somedays, making none the next, and being bombarded with student opinions and protests. The President (who has the coolest glasses and the best speaking voice) has done seemingly done his best to reassure the students that our tuition dollars are not going towards the new campus in San Diego, and that there will be new protocol for the declaration of Snow Days.
I have gone through many changes throughout the school year, and I know my transformation and growth have only just begun. I've pushed myself to my limits and far beyond and I've made it through. I hope to be stronger, more prepared, more balanced and thus healthier next year. I hope to reconnect and grow spiritually. I seek to start to become an adviser, a practitioner (after all, I only have one year left before entering the clinic!). My deepest hope is that the next year is ever so slightly easier than the last. Please? Just a little?
If you are still reading, I thank you for listening to my brief (trust me, it's brief) synopsis of the most amazing year of my life. I hope you are someone, near or far, who will remain by my side and help me complete this program and then enter the world as a healer. Take care of yourself, love your gut and your liver, smile, play, move, and show the world your love.
Namaste.
This year has been intense--unlike anything I've ever experienced and could hardly even imagine. In a list, here are the courses I have completed this year:
Anatomy (3 quarters)
Living Anatomy (3 quarters: intro to physical exams and finding anatomy on living people)
Gross Lab (3 quarters: cadaver dissection)
Physiology (3 quarters)
Biochemistry (3 quarters)
Plants in Ceremony (weekend elective)
Histology
Research Stats and Design
Fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Naturopathic Medicine in Historical Context/Clinical Theory/Global Context (3 quarters, each with a different focus but overall learning about the history of and philosophies behind naturopathic medicine)
Hydrotherapy/Physiotherapy (with Lab)
Embryology
Myofascial Analysis
Botanical Medicine 1 (I'll take 5 quarters of this series)
Neuroscience (with Lab)
12 credits Summer Quarter
18 credits Fall Quarter
24 Winter Quarter
23.5 Spring Quarter
Total: 77.5 credits
This is not to mention the "extracurricular" activities I attended weekly including Dr. Love's numerous tutorials for anatomy, working at the Bookstore, participating in the Doctor Mentor program in which we get to talk to a real-life ND about his real-life practice, going to yoga on Fridays, occasionally trying to go for a walk/jog outside, and doing a little photography when I could.
Fortunately for such an intense program, I have been blessed with 100 or so new, wonderful, caring, inspiring, brilliant, motivated friends. Our corp of "First Years" feel like a tight-knit family and even teachers have mentioned how connected we are, which doesn't happen with every class. We are a class that will raise hell, combine forces, and let you know how we feel and what you should do about it. We organize, start groups and projects, we innovate. We are incredibly diverse, coming from so many different life journeys, countries, states, professions. I think our youngest member is 22 and our oldest is old enough to be a mother to some of us. We have quiet students, awkward students, loud students, students who in Aleyamma's mind look like celebrities, we have students who are dating other students, students who you wish you were dating, students who you want to be around all the time and learn her/his wisdom. We have students in our class who are already natural healers and some who need practice. We are a supportive group, a loving group. We have spirit! We organized a whole themed week for finals this Spring Quarter, wearing something specific each day. As students we love to chat, gossip, share tips and news and recipes, hatch plans, and think about our futures. We truly want to get to know each other better. We study together and support our classmates who need help (as long as we know she/he needs it!). I have never been so inspired by a group of people around me, and I am so very thankful to be in this class. I literally could not have done it without this group of amazing people.
My professors have been a mixed bag, as they would be in any given school. Doctors Love, Fredrickson, Aleyamma Thomas, Brinton, Paul Karsten, Modell, Jessica Bean, Masa, Neary, Biery, Littleton, Greg Yasuda, Kate Broderick, Christy Lee-Engel, Rubinstein, Pamela Snider, Dazey, K., and many others I'm forgetting to name here. Some where absolutely amazing teachers and some were not, but all were part of my first year experience that I hope to never forget.
I mustn't forget to mention all the support our class received from the upperclass students. Starting in Summer Quarter the 2nd Years were there for us, guiding us along. For our first Gross Lab midterm exam in Fall Quarter, the 2nd Years put supportive signs on all of our lockers saying "_______ is a superstar!", put up a banner in the hallway wishing us luck, and decorated the hallway ceiling with balloons and streamers in anatomy-appropriate colors (to represent arteries, veins, nerves, and lymph). They handed out stickers before the test and cheered for us and gave us medical gloves filled with candy after we were finished. In what other medical program can you imagine this happening? It didn't stop there, either. During the rest of the year the "older students" (as I sometimes say, not necessarily referring to age) were there for advice, test prep, and many were our invaluable TAs and tutors.
Bastyr itself--again, like any school--has its ups and downs, its craziness and its amazingness. Our school changed its colors from green to (basically) maroon and gold, which is still causing an opinionated stir among students. The cafeteria has had trials and tribulations with adding a meat station, really expensive sandwich station, upping the prices of food without disclosure, making amazing gf/v food somedays, making none the next, and being bombarded with student opinions and protests. The President (who has the coolest glasses and the best speaking voice) has done seemingly done his best to reassure the students that our tuition dollars are not going towards the new campus in San Diego, and that there will be new protocol for the declaration of Snow Days.
I have gone through many changes throughout the school year, and I know my transformation and growth have only just begun. I've pushed myself to my limits and far beyond and I've made it through. I hope to be stronger, more prepared, more balanced and thus healthier next year. I hope to reconnect and grow spiritually. I seek to start to become an adviser, a practitioner (after all, I only have one year left before entering the clinic!). My deepest hope is that the next year is ever so slightly easier than the last. Please? Just a little?
If you are still reading, I thank you for listening to my brief (trust me, it's brief) synopsis of the most amazing year of my life. I hope you are someone, near or far, who will remain by my side and help me complete this program and then enter the world as a healer. Take care of yourself, love your gut and your liver, smile, play, move, and show the world your love.
Namaste.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Hang-In-There Soup
There's three weeks left in my first year of naturopathic medical school. My adrenals are shot, my liver is struggling, my thyroid has most likely tipped it's hat and said goodnight. All I want to do is nap and eat and sleep. With Nick gone for a few days to a conference in Boston, I decided to make a wholesome, nutrient-filled soup that was good to my vital force and my tummy.
Here's the recipe:
Approximately 3 cups water
Organic dried local mushrooms
Organic cilantro
Organic green onions
Organic nori (seaweed)
Organic extra firm tofu (half block)
Organic miso
*optional additions: garlic, vegetable bouillon cube
Start the water in a pot and add the dried mushrooms. Mine said to simmer it for 20 min in a little bit of water, as if you were to use them in other dishes than soup, so I kind of improvised. I brought the water to a boil and then reduced it to medium and let the mushrooms cook alone for about five minutes or so. It's easier, too, if you remember to pre-chop the mushrooms before you put them in.
Add some cilantro (as much as you like), then the green onions chopped. Let those simmer with the mushrooms until the mushrooms are done.
Once the mushrooms are done, add in the cubed tofu and strips of seaweed. When the seaweed is done enough, turn off the heat (be sure it's not boiling) and add in miso to taste. Finally, salt to taste and enjoy!
Post script: After all that health, I really want a chocolate chip cookie now.
Here's the recipe:
Approximately 3 cups water
Organic dried local mushrooms
Organic cilantro
Organic green onions
Organic nori (seaweed)
Organic extra firm tofu (half block)
Organic miso
*optional additions: garlic, vegetable bouillon cube
Start the water in a pot and add the dried mushrooms. Mine said to simmer it for 20 min in a little bit of water, as if you were to use them in other dishes than soup, so I kind of improvised. I brought the water to a boil and then reduced it to medium and let the mushrooms cook alone for about five minutes or so. It's easier, too, if you remember to pre-chop the mushrooms before you put them in.
Add some cilantro (as much as you like), then the green onions chopped. Let those simmer with the mushrooms until the mushrooms are done.
Once the mushrooms are done, add in the cubed tofu and strips of seaweed. When the seaweed is done enough, turn off the heat (be sure it's not boiling) and add in miso to taste. Finally, salt to taste and enjoy!
Post script: After all that health, I really want a chocolate chip cookie now.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Naturopathic Med School: Update 2
It is now nearly the end of Winter Quarter 2012. By the fact that I haven't had a post since last fall should indicate how insane my schedule is right now! Class all day (from 8-6 or 7 some days) and then study, study, study. I'm always tired/hungry/sick of sitting! I want to exercise but I either have no energy or I need to study, or I would rather eat dinner at a reasonable hour.
My current course load is:
Living Anatomy/Gross Anatomy (Lecture)
Gross Anatomy (Cadaver lab)
Biochemistry
Hydrotherapy (Lecture and lab)
Naturopathic Medicine in Clinical Theory (Lecture and small group "lab")
Solving Problems in Human Physiology
Embryology
Additionally, I work at the bookstore 3 hours per week, attend meetings with my Doctor Mentor (Dr. Dodge), and Dr. Love's Brown Bag, Tutorial, and Round Table sessions. Oh, and I play hockey on Tuesday nights and do yoga in between classes on Friday.
Midterms were rough (I wonder why?!) but, with a few weeks left in the quarter, I think i'm recovering and preparing well for finals.
Many of my classmates have gone on the 5A track but i'm refusing for as long as possible. Hopefully I can stick to 4 years. In the very least, I would consider 5B, which breaks up the last two years of my program in to three.
I'm still doing photography here and there, and art, too. Life, as busy as it is, is exciting.
It's currently 10:10 which means I'm already past my bedtime (another problem.. I can't sacrifice my sleep for good grades, it seems).
Until next time...
What I'm Eating: Guacamole!
I love making fresh guacamole (and then eating it all!).
Here is how I made it today:
2 organic avocados scooped into a common bowl
fresh organic cilantro lightly chopped, to taste (for me it's a LOT of cilantro!)
a small section of onion (red, yellow, or white) diced
high quality sea salt, rock salt, or pink salt, to taste
a dash of seasoned salt
Put all ingredients in common bowl then smoosh together with a fork. Eating with organic corn chips!
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