As usual, I prefer to cook and bake vegan and gluten free, i.e. without dairy, eggs or wheat. That way, it is easier to digest and will be as light and healthy as a banana bread could be. Plus, bananas being the main ingredient, it will offer a healthy serving of fruit.

I took a basic recipe and swapped out to wheat-free and dairy-free ingredients, to make it more healthy and delicious. I mashed the bananas, put all the ingredients together and it was in the oven in no time. The smell coming from the kitchen was divine, and it tasted even more heavenly.

My husband is my taste tester and my captive audience. I got rave reviews. That was a couple of weeks ago, I have made a few batches since then and I brought a batch to a friend’s dinner party also and got glowing feedback on this recipe.

So here is the recipe, you will love it! Get ready to be baking a lot of Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. And a shout out to Mom, thank you for continuing to inspire me. Enjoy!

Wet Ingredients:
- 8 Bananas
- 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
- ¾ cup Maple Syrup
- ½ cup Coconut Oil
- ¼ cup Chia Seeds
- 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla

Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup Millet Flour
- 1 cup Buckwheat Flour
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 tablespoon Golden Flaxseed Meal
- 1 teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 2 cups Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- 1 bag Large Dark Chocolate Chips (or 2 bags of regular size Dark Chocolate Chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line 2 medium pans with parchment paper.
2. Mash 6 Bananas in large bowl or mixer.
3. Mix Golden Flaxseed Meal with 3 tablespoons of water and set aside until thickened.
4. Mix Bananas and thickened Golden Flaxseed Meal together with all remaining wet ingredients, put aside.
5. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl, except Chocolate Chips.
6. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients into one large bowl, mix well until combined.
7. Stir in Chocolate Chips into batter.
8. Pour combined batter into pans evenly.
9. Place sliced banana chunks on top of batter, using remaining bananas.
10. Bake for 45 minutes, test by poking center top with a fork or toothpick.
11. Allow to cool a few minutes before cutting.
12. Cover pans with plastic wrap and keep in refrigerator until finished.

Enjoy!

- by Judith Longo

Voila! Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, vegan and gluten free of course

Hosted by Stephanie Ruhle (managing editor anchor for Bloomberg Television & co-host of Market Makers). Speakers (from left to right): Jessica Seinfeld (author of three NY Times bestselling cookbooks on healthy eating, founder of Baby Buggy non-profit organization dedicated to families in need), Gary Hershberg (co-founder & chairman of Stonyfield Farm), and Ken Cook (president and co-founder of the Environmental Working Group a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment).

As you probably have heard, GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) food is currently not labeled here in the US. Yet citizens of 64 other countries, including Russia and China have this right.

It is believed that, GMO’s have lower nutritional quality than natural foods making the nutrients unavailable or indigestible to humans. Additionally, the effects of ingesting such foods loaded with herbicides and toxins in the GMO’s may cause diseases such as Cancer, Parkinson’s, Allergies and Autism to name just a few.

There is also speculation that bacteria living in the digestive tracts of humans and animals could build up an antibiotic resistance gene from a GMO plant. Currently 60% – 100% of the rainwater in the midwest is already contaminated with the powerful herbicides like Roundup used to grow GMO crops.

The corporations behind the GMO foods are very powerful and wealthy. They are quickly buying up established healthy brands such as Annie’s and Quaker, which was recently purchased by Pepsico. Once purchased they change the traditional ingredients to GMO’s, which is more cost effective for them and dangerous for us. But, they are currently not required to label GMO ingredients.

We deserve to know what we are buying and eating by demanding transparency in our food system, our health and ultimately our lives depend on it. We need to take a stand for mandatory GMO labeling in the US.

Just Label It!

The good news change is happening, recently the progressive restaurant chain Chipotle has committed to remove all GMO ingredients from it’s food. Mandatory GMO labeling would be a huge step in the right direction.

As Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Please go to www.justlabelit.org and take action today.

by Judith Longo

Judi with Jessica Seinfeld

- by Judi Longo

It is that time of year when the party’s over, literally and figuratively. It’s always difficult for me to get through the darkest and coldest days of the year in NYC. Like many of us in the Northeast after the holiday season ends I crave newness, warmth, physical exercise and sunshine. But Mother Earth has me held in the natural process of winter. Like nature and the animals in the forest, we are meant to be more internal, calm and meditative as we prepare for our rebirth in the spring.

As a fashion designer, stylist and a certified Feng Shui practitioner I know it is time for me to take a sobering look my closet and my life. In the tiny walk-in closet I share with my husband I stood and stared at my coveted collection of Mui Mui, Prada, Fendi and all the rest of my friends. With not an empty space on the rail or an empty shoe cubby I asked myself what I could possibly part with, and got no answer at all. I loved all of these shoes, bags, dresses, blazers for they ARE me, I thought. And, even though I don’t wear most of them regularly I was hesitant to even touch them.

Wind and Water

I remembered what I learned in my classes that Feng Shui is about so much more than just stuff, even my beautiful stuff that I love so much. The term Feng Shui means wind and water. Feng Shui is about the stagnant and fresh chi or energy that moves in and around our physical spaces, including our closets. When areas are clogged up and cluttered, the chi or energy cannot move and becomes stagnant. It directly affects our health, wealth, relationships, future, and well, pretty much everything.

So to get the chi or energy moving I decided to start cleaning and clearing. If a space is not clean, it is not Feng Shui. I cleaned everything and anything I could get my hands on: laundry, the bathroom, the vanity, the kitchen, the magazine rack, my nightstand, my jewelry drawer and the junk drawer. Suddenly I had filled two bins of recycling and one full of trash.

At that point, I had broken the stagnant chi and was able to create two piles of couture accessories and clothing to consign. And, then the most important pile I created was the give-away pile to be donated. According to Feng Shui, what we give away will return to us multiplied.

When we make space for the fresh chi, we allow the energy of our personal space to move swiftly and make way for new energy, health, wealth, experiences, love, clothes, shoes, jobs and relationships to find their way into our lives. I know this fresh energy moving in my space will blossom into something magical in my life this year.

Five ways to create fresh chi or energy in your space:

1. Start by cleaning one drawer, go through all items contained and decide if you really need all the items. Clear out what you no longer need and put back what is necessary in an organized fashion. Starting small will help you break way for bigger projects like your closet.

2. Clean the kitchen and bathroom until they are spotless. The chi of these two areas is very important as they are vital to our overall health.

3. Clean the entrance of your space: organize shoes, umbrellas, coats in closets and storage bins neatly. Make sure the foyer is not cluttered. The chi of this area of our home is very important as it is connected with our career and wealth.

4. Make sure the air in your space is fresh, like the chi when it is swiftly moving. Open a window, even for a few minutes in the winter and let in the fresh air. Also, burning white sage and diffusing essential oils changes the energetic frequency of your entire space which connects to all aspects of your life.

5. Clean out and organize all books, mail and decorative pieces. Put in an orderly fashion that is aesthetically pleasing. Make sure you feel an open airiness in your space that is calming and nurturing to you, so you can go out in the world and create a life you love.

After all, Feng Shui is “all about the space, about the space….no clutter.”

- by Judith Longo

How is she still at the top of her game after all these years of success? How is she this timeless wonder still producing such modern, fashion-forward designs while maintaining her ageless physicality? I recently attended an evening event lead by the one and only Norma Kamali in her ultra clean, bright, white lacquered boutique on West 56th Street in NYC.

Surrounded by her plethora of passions including her powerful women’s clothing line, gorgeous bottles of olive oil and gourmet raw food, the picture of grace, elegance and modernity appeared. Enter Norma Kamali. She and her ultra-polite team gathered on this night, with an all female audience to discuss and interact on perhaps the most important of her passions, the end of the objectification of women.

She spoke with honesty and strength about redefining the modern woman. Norma Kamali created short film titled “Hey Baby” about the way women are treated by men as we walk down the street. She pointed out that we are so much more than our body image, the clothes we wear, our breast size and yet we are all judged by these physical aspects.

Norma shared her own stories of objectification and explained that, through sharing them with other women, we can empower ourselves. This is so huge for women, we all have these experiences and we usually keep them buried deep down inside.

Wellness and Women

As the night came to a close, I took my selfie with Norma Kamali and I realized she is far beyond a fashion icon. Norma Kamali truly is a superhero, a powerful woman who designs contemporary, gorgeous women’s clothing, who is devoted to eating healthy and most importantly, she is at the forefront leading the way for women in the face of objectification coming from our culture.

Norma Kamali is quietly breaking down this barrier in her graceful, elegant, modern way.

If you live in the New York area, keep an eye out for future events on thewellnesscafe.com so you share your experiences and share in the growing empowerment. You can also get involved at www.stopobjectification.com.

- by Judith Longo

As I followed my thoughts I defined what I felt were Joan’s main qualities. Firstly, she is very “pretty”: doe-eyed with soft features and baby-fine, blonde hair. She is also “angelic” with an aura about her that is like a bubble of light from within. Her personal style is somewhat earthy and “bohemian”. And, she is a without a doubt, a bluesy “rockstar”.

I saw that Joan Osborne was indeed all the aspects I had defined, Pretty, Angel, Boho and Rockstar so I created my style boards with inspiration and looks I love for all four facets. On the day of the shoot she was impressed with the aspects of her style that I had defined. Joan loved the combination of drapey crepe fabrics and leather pieces I had gathered for the shoot.

Both soft and gritty, Joan Osborne’s true magic came through when she stepped in front of the camera. Dressed in the sensual clothing I had chosen with makeup and hair done, she was ready. In an instant she closed her eyes, snapped her fingers and danced to the music of her favorite artist BB King. As photographer Jeff Fasano clicked away and captured her incredible metamorphosis, Joan Osborne was truly in her element.

Story and styling by Judith Longo
Photography by Jeff Fasano

To get all the nutrition out of the veggies like beets, carrots and daikon, you can clean them and either steam them or sauté the tops. All you need for a delicious addition of greens to your meal is a little Shoyu or Tamari, the gluten free version of soy sauce.

Today’s macrobiotic, gluten free recipe features beautiful beet tops, salmon and baked jeweled yams, prepared simply, packing tons of healthy minerals, protein, antioxidants and fiber.

Ingredients:

- tops of 2 or 3 beets* (we saved the actual beets for another recipe)
- large jeweled yam*
- wild Atlantic Sockeye salmon
- chopped garlic*
- grapeseed oil
- sea salt
- onion*
- barbecue sauce

* All organic, in accordance to macrobiotics

Pre-heat oven to 425F.

Step 1:

Clean yams and get them in the oven for at least 45 minutes.

Step 2:

Prepare the beet tops. Separate the stems from the leaves. Chop up the stems and lightly sauté just the stems with chopped garlic and sea salt for about 4-5 minutes until tender.

Step 3:

While the beet stems are cooking, sauté your onions and fry up the salmon in a skillet, add barbecue sauce to taste.

Step 4:

When the baked yam comes out of the oven, add beet leaves on top of stems and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Put it all together and you have this delicious little feast!

Recipe by Judith Longo

To continue along with our macrobiotic recipes, this is an easy gluten free vegan pizza recipe if you are on the go and need a quick healthy meal. You can grab a tub of antipasta ingredients, a gluten free pizza crust and you are basically ready!

Ingredients:

– 1/2 cup green & black olives* (seedless)
– 1/4 cup roasted garlic*
– 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes*
– 1/2 cup artichoke hearts*
(all from the antipasta bar at Whole Foods, SO easy)
– 1/2 cup sliced shitake mushrooms* (a macrobiotic favorite)
– 3/4 cup yellow onions*, cut in half moons
– 1 gluten free pizza crust*
– Harisa sauce* (we used this great brand, Cava, you can also use tomato sauce)
– Olive oil*

*All organic, in accordance with macrobiotic principles.

Pre-heat oven to 425F.

Step 1:
- Saute up the raw onions and mushrooms and throw in the other toppings once the onions are nice and caramelized.
- Put the pizza crust in the oven for 8-10 minutes with some oil to pre-heat it.

Step 2:
- Once the crust is pre-heated, put on a thin layer of Harisa and add the toppings, put in the oven at 425F.

Step 3:
- Prepare a nice salad on the side, pull out the pizza and slice it up. If you don’t have a pizza cutter, a 10″ chef’s knife works well.

Step 4:
enjoy!

by Judith Longo

The Cancer Prevention Diet: Michio Kushi’s Macrobiotic Blueprint for the Prevention and Relief of Disease is all about how to stay healthy with a simple, delicious macrobiotic diet—and the good news is that you don’t have to be a millionaire celebrity to eat this way.

Macrobiotics, first mentioned in 1797 in Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland’s book, The Art of Prolonging Human Life is known as the anti-cancer diet. It consists primarily of grains, fruits, vegetables, seaweed, fermented vegetables, and a little bit of fish. This diet rich in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals provides the magic combination that is the quiet cure for cancer.

Michio Kushi began to introduce macrobiotics in the United States in the early 1950s and is known as the father of modern macrobiotics in the US today. He has trained some of the world’s leading macrobiotic chefs and continues to serve as a living example of powerful conscious living through his life as an educator about diet, health, and world peace.

Harvard Medical School, The Framingham Heart Study and Tulane University are just a few of the organizations that have published research showing the benefits of macrobiotics such as:

– relieve high blood pressure
– lower cholesterol
– prevent heart disease
– treat sensitivity to chemicals
– improve immune function
– lower weight
– regulate the female hormone system
– and prolonging the life span, among others

“Let food be thy medicine, and
thy medicine be food.”—Hippocrates

The basic breakdown of the macrobiotic diet is:
50%-60% whole grains
25%-30% vegetables
5%-10% soups
5%-10% beans and sea vegetables

The diet also includes other holistic practices to nurture your mental and physical health including things like chewing your food 25 times before you swallow it and walking outside for 1/2 hour a day.

If you are trying to stay away from the typical American diet of processed foods, GMOs, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics and sugar, this is a proven approach to excellent health. Most of us know someone close to us who have suffered from life threatening diseases, so you know how serious it is.

For more information, check out Michio Kushi’s book The Cancer Prevention Diet… and continue to check back with Meniscus Magazine for articles and recipes to try on your own. If you want to get started right away, start incorporating brown rice, steamed vegetables and fresh miso soup and you should start to feel it immediately.

- by Judith Longo

In addition to being a trained macrobiotic chef, Judith Longo is a New York City-based fashion designer, writer, Feng Shui consultant, artist, image consultant and yogi.

This week, a grass-fed lamb dish is featured, one of the few meat dishes coming out of the kitchen, but one that is both nutritious and delicious. Bon apetite!

Purple passion potatoes – Considered the food of the gods, purple potatoes are packed with phytonutrients and with four times the antioxidants power of normal potatoes.
Garlic known as a powerful health booster that can help to protect against cancer, protect the heart and is a natural antibiotic. For maximum benefits, its best to leave crushed garlic at room temperature for 15 minutes, allowing time for an enzyme reaction to boost the compounds before cooking.
Parsley, very cleansing for the kidneys and liver, aids in digestion

Book choi
Rated as number one cancer fighting food according to Dr. William Li, who recently was interviewed by Dr. Oz. He recommends 1/2 cup, three times a week of these cancer fighting nutrients.
Garlic

Ginger, also a natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory used frequently in Chinese medicine.

New Zealand Grass fed lamb For people who’s blood type requires that they eat red meat, lamb is more easily processed by the system. The benefits of red meat, include strengthening of the blood.
w rice bran oil – known for its powerful antioxidant γ-oryzanol, and has been shown to improve blood cholesterol.
Dijon mustard,
garlic & herbs de Provence

Shoyu- A macrobiotic gluten-free soy sauce that supports the immune system, has strong anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties and is rich in minerals. (And it is salty and delicious on our bok choi!)

by Judith Longo