Organic Consumers Association

I receive this organization's newsletter, and I thought it would be nice to share what they sent to me. It cost nothing to receive their newsletters and it's worth the effort as far as I'm concerned. The information from this quote, and the understanding of the native Americans must be taken seriously to get on the right road to the healing of Mother Earth. These are not simple, happy thoughts to make us feel good: they are vital, right and healthy ways. In these very difficult times, it is wisdom and right to find everythng that unites us and minimize our differences. There is a legacy of pain, betrayal and abuse we all must turn away from and find ways to unite to save our planet. Happy Thanksgiving to you!

"Indigenous Perspectives on Thanksgiving

"Giving daily thanks for nature's gifts has always been an important way of living for traditional Native peoples. The six nations of the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora), who live in New York State and parts of southeastern Canada, express their thanks in a recitation known as The Thanksgiving Address. Sometimes referred to as "the words that come before all else," this address is spoken at community gatherings, ceremonies, and even at some schools to start the day. The words express thanks for fellow human beings, Mother Earth, the moon, stars, sun, water, air, winds, animals, and more.

"Here is an excerpt that offers thanks for the food plants:

With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans, and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them, too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting of thanks.

-Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address

"American Indian peoples' connection to the natural world has been maintained through generations of observation, in which people developed environmental knowledge and philosophies. People took actions to ensure the long-term sustainability of their communities and the environment, with which they shared a reciprocal relationship. Today, Native knowledge can be a key to understanding and solving some of our world's most pressing problems."

-From American Indian Perspectives on Thanksgiving (PDF), an educational resource created by the National Museum of the American Indian"

Life's 'Hell's Kitchen' - So much pain for no reason at all.....

Last evening I watched Fox's TV show "Hell's Kitchen". It seems to me that Chef Ramsay is angrier every season. The level of his anger, and of the contestants, appears to base itself on an exceptionally high standard, which is, and is not, being met by the contestants. They are yelled at, called stupid cow, or somesuch very close to that. I am stunned at the level of shame and disappointment they carry, and with the others the level of ego that sees everyone else as beneath them.

Gosh, if we just had that sense of dismay over how we are treating the earth, how women and children are being abused and exploited, how nations are tearing away at their own people, and peoples of other nations......well, maybe some changes for the better would take place. But to have a fit over unblanched green beans and undercooked pasta made me realize how vain it all is. The well-to-do are treated like priests and goddesses and they act as though they are; yet, in two days they poop and pee out what they had for that dinner; but the pain given to the cooks lasts much, much longer.

All I can see is how utterly thankful the homeless and hungry people in communities across this nation and around this world would be if they could eat undercooked risotto, overcooked scallops, not-quite-done green beans, sticky pasta, and under-cooked anything else. People are starving for some morsel of food!! Think about that when you watch Hell's Kitchen.

If I could live my life over again I would get a culinary degree and make beautiful things. But it serves no useful purpose to be abusive or allow oneself to be abused. It's amazing and saddening to me that people will rise to the occasion only when they're screamed at, called names, and threatened!! Isn't it frightening to think that we have come to this? - that the ONLY way people will rise and excel is through humiliation???

Most of us know, or think we know, what BDSM means. I thought I did until I researched it online. Even though it's supposed to be a kind of play-acting with consenting partners, it slips into a bad place many times, and the 'receiver' of the punishment was not ready for the level of "discipline" exacted by the 'actor'. BDSM = being restrained (submitting to bondage), unable to defend yourself. You've trusted the person who restrains you; then you are disciplined by being flogged, whipped; pain is inflicted as punishment; then you are humiliated. There is no relief given. There is much more involved, and I know I've oversimplified this. But the basics are there.

Watch what people do to you in your life, just as in Hell's Kitchen. Who loves to keep you beneath them? Who seems to like 'cracking the whip' at your expense? Who seems to feel the need to punish you, make you answerable for everything you do, misjudges you? Who brings you into feelings of humiliation? - and keeps you in that painful emotional/mental state of constantly trying to please them while attempting to regain some self-respect and balance. It is assumed you are consenting to this. Those people NEVER want to know you, to know what really makes you tick. They don't love you - they just know the words. These people appear so very angry, but in fact, are afraid and have feelings of inferiority. They absolutely must make everyone around them feel misery, less than normal. Deep inside them is someone who CAN'T get out as they will be seen for who they think they are - inferior. Ever try to dish out a compliment to them? - They tend to insult you for it. They talk a good 'humanity', but act like tyrants. It is so very sad.

Cooking is a beautiful, creative act of giving to others - to those you know and even those you don't know. No one NEEDS to abuse, but to motivate in other more positive ways. Inspiring others to become more than they ever thought they could be is much more difficult than screaming them into better performances through inflicting intimidation, humiliation, and fear.

Jessica Seinfeld’s Roasted Chicken

Whole chicken
T & ¾ salt
¾ t crushed black pepper
3 T olive oil
lemon
sprigs rosemary
lb carrots (cut into 3" sticks)
lb parsnips (cut into 3" sticks)
lb small red potatoes, halved

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. On baking sheet: toss carrots, parsnips and potatoes with 2 T of oil, 4 sprigs rosemary, ¾ t salt, and ½ t pepper.

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Season with remaining S & P. Rub with 2 T of the oil. Pierce lemon several times and stuff into cavity along with 2 sprigs rosemary. Tie legs together with twine. Nestle chicken among the veggies and put in oven with LEGS TOWARD BACK of oven. Roast (stirring veggies once) until chicken is cooked through. 55 – 60 min.


I got this from TV. She has a new cookbook out. Anyway, I think it looks good; I'm trying it tonight. I'll let ya know!