It’s All About Food

2017-08

Episodes

Wednesday Aug 30, 2017

Part I: Steve Brill with Violet Brill, Edible/Medicinal Wild Plants and Mushrooms PLUS Hands-on Environmental Education for KidsNaturalist-Author “Wildman” Steve Brill has been leading foraging tours in parks throughout the Greater NY area since 1982, for the public, for schools, libraries, parks departments, day camps, scouting groups, teaching farms, museums, environmental organizations, and more. His Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not-So-Wild) Places (William Morrow Publishers, 1994) is considered a classic on the subject. His innovative Wild Vegetarian Cookbook (Harvard Common Press, April, 2002) is changing the way people think of preparing gourmet food. His Shoots and Greens of Early Spring in Northeastern North America (self-published, 1986 and 2008) teaches people how the foraging season begins, and his Foraging NY covers the best plants of New York. His Foraging With the “Wildman” DVD series is showing people how it’s all done, and his Wild Edibles Forage app includes everything he knows about edible/medicinal wild plants. But he’s still best known for having been handcuffed and arrested by undercover park rangers for eating a dandelion in Central Park! To learn more, visit www.wildmanstevebrill.com.
Violet Brill is a 13-year-old naturalist. A self-taught expert on birds, she’s been co-leading half my public tours, and many private tours (schools, scouts, doctors, museums, day camps, teaching farms, birthday parties, herbalists, artists, etc.) since she was 9. The photo is of her with a 30-lb. chicken mushroom she spotted from a moving car when she was 10.   Part II: Celine Ikeler, The Karma BakerCeline Ikeler is the Karma Baker. A mother, artist, and foodie with a daily meditation practice, Celine has refined a new style of baking. She is transforming organic plant-based and gluten free ingredients into extraordinary baked goods for everyone. While she’s immersed in serving up desserts such as Karma Cakes, brownies, Karma Sandwich cookies, Cake Pops, layered cakes, donuts, pies, tarts, cheesecake, muffins, rolls, baguettes and bread loaves…it is her custom made Organic Gluten-Free Baking Flour Mix that puts the magic in all of it. A proprietary blend of vegan flours, Celine was in need of a gluten-free flour that was bean-free. After years of trial and error she magically perfected a recipe which was not only bean and nut-free, but also enhanced her overall vegan baking.
At Karma Baker in Westlake Village, California, Celine and her husband Arek share a philosophy with their employees of Enlightened Baking™ -the intention of one’s heart and mind becoming infused with food as its made. The vibration of the kitchen is high and essential to the manner in which the Karma Baker team works together and supports one another. Sharing ideas is highly encouraged with a loving kindness at every turn. The Karma Baker mission is to change the way vegan & gluten-free baking and cooking are perceived. Through baking Celine and her team want to erase stereotypes and create corrective experiences for everyone. Baking has been a lifelong solace for Celine. At age twelve, it started with boxed brownies until she worked her way up to making chocolate chip cookies from scratch. This creative (and yummy) outlet became something Celine loves to share to this day.
In 2005, she began her journey into the world of vegan baking (no eggs, wheat, butter or cream) when her neighbor’s daughter, Sofia, was unable to eat dessert due to severe dietary restriction. This felt unacceptable to Celine so she became determined to make something edible and sweet that this little girl could enjoy along with everyone else. The end result was a delicious garbanzo bean brownie that became a huge hit. In fact, Celine continued to bake for Sofia and her family and eventually discovered her own list of mild allergies to gluten, wheat, dairy and eggs. It was during this time Celine shifted becoming acutely aware of her own karmic footprint (when a person consumes animal products, their karma is affected) and as a result, chose an animal free diet. Being plant-based, inspires and moves Celine to show the world there is another way to partake in life’s pleasures of good food and delectable desserts. Karma Baker is meant to be enjoyed and she’s letting everyone know – one (gluten-free/vegan) cupcake at a time. Celine lives in Agoura Hills with her husband/business partner Arek, their four children and pet dogs and cats. She enjoys meditating, working out, hiking, backpacking, spending time with her family, creating new recipes and living a vegan lifestyle.

Wednesday Aug 23, 2017

Part II: Stacey Murphy, Grow Your Own VegetablesStacey Murphy has helped thousands of new gardeners from 6 continents grow vegetables and herbs in small spaces, so they can enjoy fresh, affordable vegetables while creating a more sustainable future. She walks eager growers through her holistic garden system, showing what to grow, when and where. Stacey is a garden geek, growing food since 1979, and her superpower is packing, literally, tons of food into tight spaces. Dozens of her students who have trained at her backyard urban farm in Brooklyn have gone on to start their own homesteads, gardens & farms. Featured on Martha Stewart Radio and PBS’s Growing a Greener World, Stacey believes growing food organically is the best health plan for people, communities, and the earth. You can find her at GrowYourOwnVegetables.org and don’t forget to sign up to receive her best gardening tips and strategies

Wednesday Aug 16, 2017

Part I: Helen Rosenthal, New York City CouncilHelen Rosenthal is the Councilmember for District 6. Helen’s office helps thousands of residents stay in their homes, providing monthly housing clinics with free legal service. Through her legislation, Helen has almost doubled the income requirement to qualify for rent stabilization for both seniors and people with disabilities. Helen heard from hundreds of parents, teachers, and residents, about school rezoning and supported the parents who voted to approve new zone lines to alleviate overcrowding and concentrated poverty. She has empowered workers, giving them a fair share of their work, through her worker cooperatives initiative. Helen continues to make our streets safer, our schools stronger, and our parks greener.
At City Hall, Helen introduced legislation to recognize Meatless Monday in New York and encourages residents to eat more plant-based meals once a week. Helen has also fought for animal rights and humane treatment throughout her tenure. She was a proud co-sponsor of legislation, which recently passed, to ban the use of wild and exotic animals in public performances. Further, she co-sponsored and passed a series of bills in 2014 that heighten pet shops code and standards throughout the City. You can learn more about Helen at www.helen2017.com.
Part II: Ghanim Al-Sulaiti, VIBE, Vegan CafeA vegan entrepreneur, Ghanim is the founder and driving force behind Qatar’s first vegan cafe, Evergreen Organics. He’s the Co-Founder in Cambodia of the first vegan cafe VIBE, the Founder of Botany, a vegan ethical skin care line, and founder of the Good Vibe Foundation which aims to feed 10,000 school children healthy vegan food in Cambodia. Ghanim is passionate about raising awareness about conscious living by promoting a plant based lifestyle and is invested in the holistic approach to diet and health. His goal with VIBE is to inspire people from all over the world to live a healthier lifestyle.

Wednesday Aug 09, 2017

Part I: Ann Hodgman, Vegan Food for the Rest of Us.Ann Hodgman is the author of 40 children’s books and 5 cookbooks, most recently Vegan Food for the Rest of Us. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, Gourmet, and just about all the parenting magazines. She lives in Litchfield County, CT, where she plays year-round ice hockey. She is married to writer David Owen, and they have two adult children—both writers.

Copyright © 2010 Kara Lee. All rights reserved.

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