M3: MI, Macrobiotics and Maine

I went on a journey across the country to Portland Maine this past week to work with a senior trainer in Motivational Interviewing Stephen Andrew, the “trainer of trainers” for 3 wonderful life-changing days. Stephen is the head of HETI, the Health, Education and Training Institute and extremely generous with his time and talents.

Motivational Interviewing is a language of hearing the heart of those ambivalent about behavior change and navigating a conversation to help match lifestyle with values. It is something I am passionate about and continual learning is a must and is necessary as with any language.

I stayed with a friend of Stephen’s named Lisa Silverman, an amazing macrobiotic chef, her family and cool cat Louie. Lisa is a native of Portland and became interested in macrobiotic cooking as a way to improve her health and combine her love for cooking. She opened Five Seasons Cooking School almost 20 years ago and gives regular classes on macrobiotic cooking at her school and other locations.

On Thursday evening she made me a delicious macrobiotic meal which consisted of black-eyed peas croquettes, nishime root veggies, crunchy kale, and mixed veggies with brown rice and spices.

The tastes were wonderfully rich, layered and satisfying. The food was full of flavor, phytochemicals and fiber and beyond enjoyable. The croquettes were easy, crunchy, and my favorite of the meal. They were as simple as can be with soaking black-eyed peas overnight, putting them in the food processor uncooked with Himalayan sea salt and some spice (she used fennel seed but also uses cumin).

She then formed the patties and sautéed in coconut oil. Absolutely delicious! They are featured in 2 cookbooks including the Hip Chicks Guide to Macrobiotic Cooking and The Kind Diet Book.

The kale was sweet and delicious, the root veggies crunchy and the veggies with brown rice extremely tasty. Nishime is the name for waterless cooking and this dish consisted of kabocha squash, parsnips, rutabaga, purple carrots and wheat-free tamari.

The veggie/brown rice dish has onions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, ginger, and wheat-free tamari.

Part of how I judge a meal is how I feel afterward – am I satisfied, feeling clean or hungry and bloated?

I felt no bloat at which was interesting to me given all the fiber I had just consumed. I was mostly content, and my only teeny need was for more protein given my insulin resistant body. It was a wonderful treat to celebrate my time in New England.

I was forewarned that walking around Maine in 20-30 degree weather might be more than this California girl could handle but I fared the cold surprisingly well and had an enormous personal and professional experience, which was beyond my expectations.

My soul was fed this week with wonderful new friends who generously gave to me in unexpected ways and those gifts are beyond any cold weather to warm one’s heart with motivation and dreams. Thank you Stephen and Lisa!

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