It’s All About Food

It's All About Food -Caryn Hartglass on the road, reporting on Food Myths (Fake News), Refrigeration and More - 10.17.17

In today’s show, Caryn will be broadcasting remotely from the Bay Area. She’ll be covering some of the current food myths about complete protein and soy foods. She discusses the pros and cons with laundry machines, dryers and refrigeration and what we foods should be refrigerated and often aren’t. Plus you’ll get more tips on eating while travel and a reminder about the importance of gratitude.

It's All About Food - Glen Merzer, Off the Reservation - 10.11.17

Glen Merzer, Off the Reservation
Glen Merzer is an author, playwright, and screenwriter. Merzer grew up in Bellmore, N.Y., on Long Island, and attended college at New College of Florida in Sarasota. After college, he became a stand-up comic in San Francisco circa 1980, working with such comics as Dana Carvey, A. Whitney Brown, and Will Durst.  He then attended two graduate schools in theatre (Indiana University and the U. of Alabama), receiving a degree at neither one, and one graduate Creative Writing Program (at Boston University, studying under Leslie Epstein), where he received his M.A.
Merzer’s most recent book is a novel (his first), Off the Reservation, published by Vivid Thoughts Press (Dec., 2014).   Off the Reservation is a comic narrative about a quirky vegan congressman from Bloomington, IN, who undertakes an unconventional quest for the presidency; actor Jason Alexander called it “as politically savvy and poetically literate a book as I have read in a long while…. a completely gorgeous and rewarding experience.” Kirkus Reviews chose it as one of the “Best Books of 2015—Indie,” and The Progressive Magazine chose it as one of their “Favorite Books of 2015.”
Merzer began his career in book-writing as co-author, with Howard Lyman, of Mad Cowboy(Scribner, 1998) and No More Bull! (Scribner, 2005).  Merzer is also co-author of Unprocessed (2011), by Chef AJ; Food over Medicine (BenBella Books, 2013), with Pam Popper; Better Than Vegan (BenBella Books, 2013), with Chef Del Sroufe, and The Plant Advantage, with Benji Kurtz (Vivid Thoughts Press, 2015).  He is also, with Eric Brent, one of the editors of The HappyCow Cookbook (BenBella Books, 2014).
Merzer has had dozens of productions of his plays staged throughout the country, including two productions that toured to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.  Three of his plays have been published by Samuel French.  Merzer directed a production of his play, The Sizemore Interviews, an expose of fraud at NBC during America’s invasion of Panama, in Hollywood in 2001; Variety called it “a thoroughly compelling probe of the potential for the manufacture of news by the media.”
One of Merzer’s screenplays was produced, Enemies of Laughter (2000), starring David Paymer, Rosalind Chao, Peter Falk, and Bea Arthur.

It's All About Food - Joel Fuhrman, MD and Mike Boss - 10.03.17

Part I: Dr. Fuhrman, Fast Food GenocideJoel Fuhrman, M.D., is a board-certified family physician and nutritional researcher who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional and natural methods. Dr. Fuhrman is the research director of the Nutritional Research Foundation. He is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestsellers Eat to Live, Super Immunity, Eat to Live Cookbook, The End of Dieting, and The End of Diabetes.  Part II: Mike Boss, The Edible Nursery ProjectMike Boss is a Plant Ecologist, Permaculturist, and a certified Plant Geek. He is the founder of the Award-Winning: Rock & Rose Landscapes, based in San Francisco.      

It's All About Food - Guest: Pedram Shojai and Craig Cochran - 09.26.17

Part I: Pedram Shojai ProsperityPedram Shojai, OMD is a man with many titles. He is the founder and CEO of Well.Org, the editor of Be More!magazine, the author of the NY Times bestseller The Urban Monk (Rodale, 2016) and Rise and Shine (Process, 2011), the producer and director of the movie Vitality, the executive producer and writer for the film, Origins and the Host of two weekly video podcast series, The Urban Monk and The Health Bridge. He also has recent projects launching in 2017. His new movie Prosperity (2017) and his new book The Art of Stopping Time (Rodale 2017). In his spare time, he’s also a Taoist priest, a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a kung fu world traveler, a fierce global green warrior, an avid backpacker, a Qi Gong Master, and an old school Jedi bio-hacker working to preserve our natural world and wake us up to our full potential.
Part II: Craig Cochran PS KitchenCraig Cochran has has been a tour-de-force in the NYC restaurant scene with over a decade of opening and running pioneering restaurants. In 2010, he co-founded Terri, the first plant-based fast food restaurant in NYC. Terri now has three locations. Craig is the co-founder of P.S. Kitchen, a new, gourmet restaurant which donates 100% of the profits to charity. Craig is also the co-founder of Blackbird Seitan. Craig co-founded and co-owns the newest business Plates By Terri, a full-service catering company.

It's All About Food - Guest: Eric Toensmeier & Gary De Mattei - 09.19.17

Part I: Eric Toensmeier, Project DrawdownEric Toensmeier is the award-winning author of Paradise Lotand Perennial Vegetables, and the co-author of Edible Forest Gardens. He is an appointed lecturer at Yale University, a Senior Biosequestration Fellow with Project Drawdown, and an international trainer. He has studied useful perennial plants and their roles in agroforestry systems for over two decades. He is the author of The Carbon Farming Solution: A Global Toolkit of Perennial Crops and Regenerative Agricultural Practices for Climate Change Mitigation and Food Security. Part II: Gary De Mattei, Autumn in NYGary De Mattei is the co-founder and Creative Director of Responsible Eating and Living. Gary is an actor, director, producer, filmmaker, writer, teacher and trained chef. He is the founder and Artistic Director of the nonprofit theatre company, The Artist’s Theatre Repertory Ensemble (TheATRE). Before moving to New York in 2008 Gary worked extensively in Bay Area theatre as an actor, director, writer, producer, teacher, and arts administrator. He was the co-founder and producing artistic director of Theatre On San Pedro Square (TOSPS) in San Jose from January of 2000 to April of 2008. During that time Gary produced plays and musicals that showcased local, national and international theatre artists. Gary was the Theatre Department Chair at Presentation High School in San Jose. During his tenure at Presentation Gary directed plays and musicals and taught acting. His theatre department was awarded the prestigious Best High School Musical Award from the American Musical Theatre. Gary is a Bay Area Theatre Critics Award nominee for his portrayal of Fiorello H. LaGuardia in Foothill Music Theatre’s production of Fiorello. A proud member of Actor’s Equity Association, Gary trains at HB Studio in New York under the guidance of his acting teacher Austin Pendleton. For more about Gary go to his website, GaryDeMattei.com.

It's All About Food - Guest: Dean Sherzai, M.D., PhD. & Ayesha Sherzai, M.D.: The Alzheimer’s Solution - 09.06.17

Part I: Dean Sherzai, M.D., PhD. and Ayesha Sherzai, M.D., The Alzheimer’s Solution*Recent findings about the impact of lifestyle changes—diet, exercise, sleep, stress reduction, and healthy challenges for our brain—support the premise of this new book by leading experts in brain health.The Alzheimer’s Solution asserts great news about a dreaded disease: 90% of Alzheimer’s disease cases are preventable through lifestyle factors. While medical advances have extended our lifespans, keeping our hearts and bodies active into old age, brain science has lagged behind. Over 50% of individuals over the age of 85 suffer from Alzheimer’s, dementia, and debilitating cognitive decline.The Alzheimer’s Solution is the first book for a wide readership to offer a solution to Alzheimer’s, and is essential reading for both health professionals and laypeople. The authors are leaders in the field of Alzheimer’s and cognitive health and co-directors of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University Health (Loma Linda, CA is America’s only Blue Zone).Ayesha Sherzai is also a professionally trained cook with an emphasis on brain health. The book provides 25 easy-to-make recipes that feature the healthiest foods for the brain.
Ayesha Sherzai, MD, is Co-Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University Health, where she leads the Lifestyle Program for the Prevention of Neurological Diseases. She completed a dual training in Preventative Medicine and Neurology at Loma Linda University, received a Masters degree in Advanced Research Methodology from UC-San Diego, and completed a fellowship in Lifestyle and Vascular Brain Diseases at Columbia University. She will soon complete a PhD in Epidemiology from Loma Linda University, where her dissertation focuses on nutrition and its role in cognitive aging and neurological disease. Ayesha has published more than a dozen scientific papers, and in 2015, she won the American Heart Association’s Trudy Bush Fellowship Award for Cardiovascular Disease Research in Women’s Health. She is the lead researcher in the landmark study at Loma Linda that investigates the effects of a comprehensive lifestyle intervention on individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s.
Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD, is Co-Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University Health, where he was previously the Director of the Memory and Aging Center as well as Director of Research. During his years at Loma Linda, a Blue Zone community where residents live measurably longer and healthier lives, he was the lead scientist studying the effects of healthy living on cognitive aging. Dean trained in Neurology at Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed fellowships in neurodegenerative disease and dementia at the National Institutes of Health and UC-San Diego, where he studied under Dr. Leon Thal, one of the world’s most renowned dementia researchers, and Dr. Dilip Jeste, the world’s foremost specialist in cognitive aging. He also holds a PhD in Healthcare Leadership with a focus on community health, and a Masters in Public Health from Loma Linda University, where his research focused on the prevention of cognitive decline through lifestyle changes. Dean has won several awards and published numerous scientific papers, including comprehensive reviews on nutrition and neurodegenerative disease and a recent meta-analysis of cognitive training and memory improvement.
More at www.teamsherzai.com

It's All About Food - Guest: Wildman Steve Brill with Violet Brill, and Celine Ikeler, the Karma Baker - 08.29.17

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.

It's All About Food - Guest: Stacey Murphy, Grow Your Own Vegetables - 08.23.17

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

It's All About Food - Guest: Helen Rosenthal and Ghanim Al-Sulaiti

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.

It's All About Food - Guest: Ann Hodgman, Vegan Food for the Rest of Us - 08.08.17

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.