Holiday Raw TIPS – Chefs

Sunday, November 25th, 2012 | Our Best Advice | Comments Off

pomegranate juicing in Istanbul's farmers market

Some brace for Cyber Monday and some of us dream of other adventures. Like using unexpected raw fruits with holiday meals that last from ThanksGiving until New Year (any excuse to celebrate), which I do spontaneously, like adding pineapple with pomegranate to the mix. ‘poms’ disappear around January, take advantage while they’re available (and also makes a great gift basket theme). Pomegranates have high sugar content so add them to other fruits~veggies for easing up on sweet juicing. Fresh is best but on the rush there are great Pom products (we don’t get paid for any endorsements and I make them freely without input).

A Vegan Raw Pineapple ripening tip reminded me of my Bali days. I’m sensitive to pineapple. To prevent unhappy tongues home-ripen the pineapple by doing the following (use more than one if making juice for a few people):

Poke holes into the stem end of the skin with a fork or grilling skewers (don’t use your good silver!), put the pineapple end in two inches of water standing in the direction of the sun for a few days. This accelerates a ripening process to loose the blue-green acid condition that turns yellow/orange and then yellow/brown (which is what you’re after). Juice the pulp, and save overnight in your refrigerator to deepen enzyme activity. Drink the juice first thing in the morn on an empty tummy (or add to your juice mixing for added antioxidant boost), a great way to get alkaline hydration. The pulp can be rubbed on your skin to help dissolve lodged oils to move out from your pores (further benefited by dry brushing your skin). You can apply the juice with some raw salt on the skin (or use the juice alone) to dissolve outer layers of dead tissue, exposing the soft layer underneath. A wonderful skin conditioner and great massage enhancer.

pineapple (also called ananas) seen at its starting stage

The story goes that European sailors (like Columbus) were first to find Indians in the Caribbean using pineapple in several remarkable applications. They brought those TIPS home for the ladies (or at least that’s how we tell it at ISA as some of Our Best Advice). Those (very) smart natives used the sweet meat to eat alone and combined with other foods, to tenderize foods (proteins are broken down by pineapple), the juice to soften skin and clean their wounds and remove body-hair (… does that mean no need to wax?), and this wonderful medicine cured an upset stomach. Pineapple bromelain is a known  digestive aid. Piña (meaning pineapple) is also the fiber turned into textile.

Several of our old school clients are owners of major fruit farming enterprises. They take juicing seriously to extend their own health and longevity protocols. Jack LaLanne and Bernard Jensen (among others) were their gurus, who advised many Hollywood actors to stay trim and fit. These clients are captains of industry leaders; successful people who express endless high energy output in continuous travel, work hard on philanthropic projects who are also equally passionate about work in multiple fields (and sitting on multiple Boards giving their time freely), without desire of any retirement. Our younger clients also undertake a Raw Foods Diet at least part of the year, if not completely. Some of them are renowned for extraordinary dedication to raw health.

My mother (who’s not into all raw) and only eats two meals daily (she skips lunch), is among those who’ll be taken holding a phone to her ear helping someone get a job, or quickly covering a client who’s frantic because their Chef became unexpectedly ill the day of an important event. She has unending energy! We provide clients with ‘best of the best’ Staffing Household Help for decades, with our famous expertise running multiple luxury homes and high profile criteria of unique estates. We love giving TIPS as part of our services. Please pass them along.

My father was big on juicing and we grew up tasting his experiments. If you don’t want to use it raw (but do),  you can grill pineapple (a great dessert base), or use it in pomegranate fusion bar drinks to boost alkaline to acid ratios. Add it into your RAW detox protocol as many Chefs love to include for our clients jobs with their ‘secret ingredients’ green drinks. Or try Pomegranate soup. A Mesopotamian dish made from pomegranate juice and seeds added with split peas, mint leaves, spices, and other fresh ingredients (as you prefer). A booster of hearty warmth for fall.

Pineapple and Pomegranates are among what I call golden fruits (worth their weight in gold they’re so good for you). One of my ‘keeping me healthy’ team members I trade TIPS with told me she tested vodkas, to see which would become alkaline and retain its alkalinity if she added her special alkaline water to the vodka. Only two survived the test (and as she put it, the rest was trash). Never argue with someone from a famous vodka producing country, just follow their lead. So if you’re looking for a bar specialty alkaline drink for vodka, add some alkaline water, with fresh pineapple pulp and some pomegranate seeds with a bit of juice, a splash of green tea to taste (optional, sweeten with a bit of agave), shake vigorously, and top with raw chocolate shavings on the foam – and voila!

For a great pineapple salsa I modify a recipe I found at  SAVEUR magazine with fresh seasonal pomegranate. Try it.

Salsa de Piña

INGREDIENTS (makes about 5 cups)

2 cups finely chopped fresh pineapple
½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup fresh lime juice, or fresh pomegranate juice with seeds sprinkled in (will turn pineapple pink)
1 tbsp. cane sugar (or substitute other sweeteners to taste)
2 tsp. celtic sea salt or kosher salt (and adjusted to taste)
4 fresh serrano chiles, stemmed and minced
1 small red onion, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

Place all ingredients in a large holiday bowl (preferably glass to show off the colorful array), and toss until evenly combined. Let sit at room temperature to meld flavors at least 30 minutes.

Put a little added virtual sun into your winter holidays – and gift everyone Eric Whitacre Virtual Choir to play with your J’bells, or other fav playlists. Eric is amazing. Seeing his video is inspirational, lets your Spirits soar, and don’t forget to sing, sing, sing!

If you have top references and experience working in the domestic help field, or you have a job offer requiring the best household help staffing call us or register here. Send others Our Best Advice! Enjoy our TIPS and send us yours.

Serving Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills. Holmby Hills, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air, Benedict Canyon, Hancock Park, Laurel Canyon, Los Feliz, Marina Del Rey, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Melrose. Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Woodland Hills, Topanga Canyon, Torrance, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hollywood Hills, Pasadena, San Mareno, Rancho Santa Fe, Palos Verdes, San Diego, Laguna, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Ojai, Orange County, Ventura County, California, New York, East Coast, England, Europe, and  the greater United States…

Tags: Alkaline Diet Chef Jobs, Beverly Hills Jobs, Brentwood Jobs, Century City Jobs, Chef Jobs, CHEFS, Domestic Help, Eric Whitacre, estate staffing, events, Holiday Party Raw Recipes, Holiday Raw, Luxury Estates, Our Best Advice, Pacific Palisades Jobs, Raw Chef Foods, Raw Chef Jobs, Saveur Magazine, Seasonal Cuisine, TIPS, Vegan Chefs, Vegan Holiday Foods, Vegan Thanksgiving, Vegan Tips Holiday Foods, West Los Angeles Jobs

Home Organic Gardens

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012 | Our Best Advice | Comments Off

LOVE scrabble image courtesy of CHEESESLAVE

My nephew loves scrabble (he beats everybody at 12), but he’s also fussy about food so I’m combining this post to encourage organic food for kids through Home Grown Gardens. Listen to Natural health physician and www.Mercola.com founder Dr. Joseph Mercola discuss the numerous benefits and importance of home organic gardening. For some time now we’re seeing that many of our Clients at ISA offer Job descriptions to Chef’s who are familiar with healthy diets, who also have skills with maintaining organic gardens and container grown vegetables and herbs. Benefits include food on hand for emergency preparedness and working with our youth, as FEMA also advises.

TIPS from a CHEESLAVE is fun to read how this mother advises a wide range of sustainable agriculture with a twist. She’s having her healthy cake and her child is eating it too. In this climate of “busy”  few believe they’ve got time to make their own, but Anna Marie makes it quick, delight-full and easy to follow. If what constitutes a healthy diet for you are the latest trends here’s a quick guide from Natural Health blog.

Christie Brinkley at 58 growing herself fit creatively

Having control what goes into the recipes and food you consume is key. Or as the wonderfully fit and inspired Christie Brinkley at 58 puts it about her healthy indulgence: I have a red truck and I will fill it up with every blooming plant in the nursery.” I know the feeling of irresistible gardening and my husband is passionate about it. Do it with friends and family.

Purchase organically grown starters and get your gardening going today (it’s always a good time to begin), and inspire your neighbors to do the same. A great way to ensure there is food during a power outage in your area (the notion that we’re not seeing alarming global weather changes is called denial). TIP: conserve water by understanding irrigation, don’t leave it to your gardner or landscapers. Many don’t know the best advice is that the most common cause of poor results isn’t watering too little it’s watering too frequently.

Over the years we’ve been privileged to experience Chefs bringing samples of their favorite recipes (oh how we love this!) and witnessed a huge change in cuisine to be fresh (preferably plucked just before prepping a meal). They mix home garden bounty with the best ingredients purchased from locally grown farmers and shop farmers markets within a 50 mile radius. Lingering with them for good-eats gossip and tips is one of our favorite pastimes.

TIP: Make a quick fresh pesto sauce from chopped cilantro, raw pistachio nuts, and garlic. If you don’t wish to have cheese (some people are vegan or dairy sensitive) simply flavor with EVO, fresh lemon and herbs from your garden with a bit of jalapeño for heat, then spoon over thinly sliced tomatoes or avocado tucked into butter lettuce leaves layered on a plate like an open lotus. Takes minutes to prep and the rest of your container grown tomatoes can go into sauces, raw soups, juicing, and sharing with neighbors. Or use this healthy quick summer squash recipe from the New York Times.

Enjoy our TIPS and Our Best Advice, and send us yours!

Serving Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills. Holmby Hills, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air, Benedict Canyon, Hancock Park, Laurel Canyon, Los Feliz, Marina Del Rey, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Melrose. Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Woodland Hills, Topanga Canyon, Torrance, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hollywood Hills, Pasadena, San Mareno, Rancho Santa Fe, Palos Verdes, San Diego, Laguna, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Ojai, Orange County, Ventura County, California, New York, East Coast, England, Europe, and  the greater United States…

Tags: Best Organic Chefs, Best Organic Food, Chef Jobs, CHEFS, Christie Brinkley, Container Gardens, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Household Staffing, ISA Staffing, New York Times, Organic Chefs, Organic Gardening, Organically Grown, Raw Organic, Vegan Cuisine for the home