Woody Harrelson's Extreme Eating Regime

Are you familiar with a magazine called The Week? A friend mentioned it at lunch a couple of months ago. It summarizes what various publications have said on a range of subjects and provides a fun and quick overview. I was flipping through last weeks “Week” and a blurb entitled “Harrelson’s fear of the modern world” caught my attention as anything food-related does. Call it food-ar. The Week referenced an Esquire interview with Harrelson.

Harrelson is a raw vegan. He lives on an organic farm in Maui and doesn’t consume sugar, flour or dairy. And he has other fears

the ever-present cleansers, which are a thousand times more toxic than anything they purport to be cleaning. He doesn't wear clothes made of synthetic materials or cleaned at conventional cleaners. "Even sleeping on sheets in hotels washed with all these detergents — I mean, I literally get nauseous. Not to mention the electromagnetic waves — he refuses to talk on a cell phone or even to hold it in his hand. He keeps it off when it's in his pocket "to protect the proverbials."

This all started when a stranger suggested Harrelson give up dairy to ease his congestion and acne. He did, his skin cleared and it started him thinking if it isn’t “milk does a body good” then how many other lies had he been told? Or to quote “I just started realizing: There are all these things we're brought up to believe that are just a total hoax, just bullshit advertising, you know?"

I am typing this in a sweater that was conventionally cleaned with my blackberry in my pocket near my proverbial. I know an organic farm isn’t in most of our futures but I think a certain amount of skepticism and questioning of our food and environment is good. With arsenic in apple juice and endocrine disruptors in water bottles, should we feel protected?

This past Monday, The New York Times reported that President Obama’s latest budget cut would eliminate the Microbiological Data Program. This “tiny program” as it was called tests fruits and vegetables for contamination. In a country where cantaloupe can kill and spinach can sicken you, is this ok? And did any of you hear about it? Oh don’t worry if the USDA doesn’t test produce the food industry will, Cheers.
Are you skeptical when it comes to your food supply? Anything you're nutty about? Had you heard about the elimination of the Microbiological Data Program? Do you find Harrelson's regime extreme or sensible? 

Pot of the Week

A couple of weeks ago I was doing I daily blog hopping when a post on Erica Sara’s site caught my attention. I tweeted Erica (as embarrassing as it is we met on Twitter) and asked her if she’d post here and tell my hungry readers about her genius Pot of the Week. I’m thrilled Erica chose split peas for her recipe, they are the perfect cold weather food. I contemplated how split peas split on a 1 degree day in Vermont last winter.

When Lauren asked me to write a guest post for the Foodtrainers blog, I was so honored & excited. I've been reading this blog for quite some time and have always found it to be an incredible source of information and inspiration. I hope that my "Pot of the Week" does just the same for all of you.

So, what is a pot of the week? During the cold NYC months, usually on a Sunday afternoon, I prepare a large pot of soup or stew to have on hand for at least one meal a day for the upcoming week. It needs to be quick and easy to make, full of flavor, and loaded with nutrients to get me through my busy days. When I have something hearty & healthy on call at all times, it takes the guess work out of lunch or dinner and saves me tons of money on eating out. Some of my favorites have been Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili  

and a Pumpkin Chickpea stew. Delicious!

This week's pot is a vegetarian play on the traditional Split Pea Soup. I added cannellini beans and roasted corn to kick up the flavors and for protein so that this can be served as a meal. Tonight, I'll eat this soup served with some home baked crusty french bread and a small side salad. Tomorrow, I'll probably pour it over brown rice for a different type of meal. And on Tuesday, I might eat it next to a veggie burger or piece of steamed fish with a side of veggies. The ideas are endless; just what I love about soup!

Split Pea Soup with Cannellini Beans & Corn

serves 4-6

1 tbsp Olive Oil

2 large Onions, chopped

2 Celery Stalks, chopped

1 large Carrot, chopped

1 tbsp fresh Thyme

2 cups Green Split Peas, picked through & rinsed

6 cups of low-sodium Vegetable Stock

1 can Cannellini beans, rinsed

1 cup Frozen Corn (I used the Roasted Corn from Trader Joe's. It's delicious but regular frozen corn is fabulous as well!)

Salt & Pepper to season

Smoked Paprika (optional)

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions, celery and carrots and cook until they start to soften, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, split peas and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until all the vegetables are soft and the split peas are cooked through, approximately 40-50 minutes. During this time, you may need to add additional liquid so check every 15 minutes and add more vegetable stock  or water as needed. Puree the soup (be sure to allow to cool slightly if using a blender) and then add the beans and corn. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle with a dash of smoked paprika upon serving if you like.

 See? Easy, delicious & healthy! Enjoy.

What are your favorite soups or stews to make? What are your favorite wintry foods? Have you made any friends on Twitter?