Running Club

I know what you're thinking. You see the title of this blog post and presume that I'm going to make some kind of silly pun about Richard Simmons as I talk about exercising. Well, I'm afraid not. Because I have no experience with the Running Club, though it's highly talked about here at the Moon, I'll simply pass on the info that was given to me: 

~

1st run - Saturday May 12th, and Every Saturday

Where - Harvest Moon Cafe, 7 N. High Street

When - Meet at 8:45 AM, Ready to Run at 9 AMHow far - We'll be running a 3 - 3.5 Mile course

Why - Because running is always more fun with someone to suffer with!

Perks! - Refueling is important, all runners will get 10% off their order at Harvest Moon after they run. You must be sweating as proof (Joking! But, excludes alcohol, sorry)

In addition to the specifics I want to encourage everyone to join us regardless of your running level. Our runs are not about being the fastest or running the longest, just getting out there with fellow runners and motivating each other. Run the course once, twice, walk it, or crawl; we don't care!

~

If you haven't considered being a part of the Harvest Moon Running Club, give it a mental gander for a moment. Like the Garden Herb Shop Book Club, the Running Club takes a virtue (how many times have you said, "I need to go running," but didn't) and dresses it in a setting of community and accountability. While it's still tough, running with the pack has a more motivational feel to it than flying solo.

We'll see you out there. By "We" I mean we, myself included. I'll be the one running with a camera. :)

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: Asparagus and Artichoke Omelette

Talk and whisperings of this supposedly amazing Asparagus and Artichoke Omelet have reached my ears, dear readers, and left me with a toss-up between the omelet and the Heavenly Hotcakes to do my next food review on. Obviously, the omelet won out despite the facts - the first being, I love hotcakes, and secondly because Columbus Parent just did a roaring article of praise on the hotcakes here.

Cutting the omelet open revealed the soft artichokes snuggled into their sleeping bag of fluffy eggs folded over. On top of the omelet fold lay sauteed asparagus slightly softened by the chef during the cooking process. Roasted red pepper sauce potent with flavor was thickly drizzled over the asparagus, then came the flavorful feta crumbles sprinkled on top, giving it no small stir of visual and palatable appeal.

Nice crispy whole wheat toast, glistening with warm butter on top and speckled with golden oats on the crust, was put on the side, adding a nice touch of wholesome carbohydrates to the meal and a filling-factor to the flavorful feelings.

I felt stuffed by the end, but I did just have breakfast a couple of hours before. Indubitably, a hungry person would be full by this colorful conglomeration of culinary cunning and creativity! Next time you feel like breakfasting with something other than Marshmallow Mateys, swing on by and give this a try. :)

Adjectives to describe this meal are: balanced (not too eggy and not too much of a carb load), colorful, flavorful (especially the red pepper sauce; yum), and nutritious (veggies).

By the way, did you know that omelette and omelet are both acceptable forms of spelling? While omelette is more commonly used around the world, America has developed its unique spelling of it by dropping off the te at the end, making it omelet. So, if you would like to be culturally savvy, go for the former spelling.

~The Harvest Crier~

Breakfast

A couple of days ago, I was typing away at my computer while talking with a customer who was enjoying her warm brunch at the same table. She told me of this quandary she was in where she knew that it's important to have an early breakfast, but couldn't bring herself to the task of making it when she gets up.

We all know that breakfast is quite an essential for a productive day, right? When we think of being productive by having an early breakfast in the morning, we tend to imagine an elaborate feast of eggs and bacon and toast and such with a side of milk or orange juice. Thus we get discouraged and hit the snooze button for the nth time while drowsily thinking to self that breakfast is too much work. And in the back of our mind we remember hearing from our parental figures that breakfast is important.

This blog post is not going to be yet another glaring webpage telling you to "Eat your wheaties!" Instead, it's going to be a blog post sharing the good news that eating a breakfast doesn't have to be as complicated as one may think. Your first meal of the day doesn't have to look like Bob Evans on steroids (really elaborate and bountiful). Quite the contrary. While a varied breakfast including toast and eggs and fruit and so on is undoubtedly most nutritious, don't assume that you have to eat a breakfast like that every day to still get some of the benefits of eating breakfast in general.

Obviously not going for the sugary twice sugar-coated sugar flakes made from sugar is a good first step. A second step is to not over-complicate your breakfast menu, but to start with simple nutrition such as a banana, a couple of pieces of whole wheat toast, or maybe some melon. Starting off by eating some fruit or perhaps some granola is a good way to jump start your metabolism in the morning, which will enable you to digest better throughout the day. Hooray, right?

So there you have it. Start simple, start small, start with a couple of strawberries or a handful of raisins first thing (heck, one piece of toast even!) and go from there. You'll have breakfast down in no time.

Or you could always just go over to Harvest Moon for their killer breakfast menu if you'd like.

~The Harvest Crier~

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!

Our sprouting chia at the Garden Herb Shop

All of us remember when Chia Pets were the rave. It's yet another reason why we wag our heads in shame at the 90s, that awkward decade of, um, interesting tastes and fashions. But there is a little bit of sunshine peaking out of a relic from that dark age. Do you remember Chia Pets? They're still around you know. In fact, there's actually a Barack Obama Chia Pet available on eBay!

That shimmer of sunlight is found in the sprouts coming out of your Mr. T Chia Pet ( pity the fool who actually got one of those as a gag-gift). It turns out, dear readers, that chia sprouts and chia seeds are actually really good for you! Chia recently went through a sort of renaissance of its own where people started realizing that it's more than cheesy 90s decor!

Its benefits include, but are not limited to:
~ Rich in protein,
~ Excellent substitute for eggs in baking (And all the vegans rejoiced!),
~ Assists in weight loss,
~ Fibrous,
~ Great for boosts of energy before and after workouts (and all the athletes rejoiced!),
~ Said to be the richest source of Omega-3 fatty acids, and water soluble dietary fiber (supplements that we commonly add to our diets for their health benefits),
~ Rich in calcium

So there you go, the chia is now redeemed. It's an excellent plant to start growing on your kitchen counter or window sill, seeing how you can throw it in practically everything! Don't worry, you can grow it in a simple flower pot. It's still chia even if it's not sprouting out of a Homer Simpson head! Nutrition tends to come in simple packages now doesn't it?

Oh, and it's a superfood. So there.

~The Harvest Crier~

Sources:
Andrew Weil M.D.
Yahoo Voices
Huffpost
Washingtonian

Miso Happy!

The Garden Herb Shop tends to transform from a shop to a school in the blink of an eye. Just today, not too long after I stepped out of the blustering outdoor weather, I was handed a book and recommended (ordered) to write a post on the wonders of miso (mee-so). So how could I say no to that? I mean, it's miso!

Are you saying to yourself, "Miso confused"? Are you insisting, "Permiso, can you tell me more about the miso?" Well fear not. Click any of the misos in this post and you'll find yourself in a swamp of miso-info. I'll just give you a light sampling of the information available out there, most of it taken from the book I was handed: The Way of Chinese Herbs, by Michael Tierra.

Miso is essentially soybeans aged to flavor by being fermented with salt and sometimes other ingredients such as rice. It's beginnings are from China, where its predecessor (chiang) originated sometime during the Chou Dynasty (722-481 B.C.). The use of soybean became more popular during the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.) through the spread of Buddhism and the vegetarianism therein. Today, it is a staple of consumption in Japan.

Learning from my reading, miso is one of the most perfect foods, reason being because the fermented soybeans are rich in easily assimilated high-quality protein. It also aids  the assimilation of other foods and should therefore be eaten with something else (pretty easily understood, seeing how it's a paste. I'm not too  partial to eating straight paste myself). You can make sauces with it (add almond butter, a little bit of water, and ground sesame) as well as salad dressing, or even a base for your soup.

The consensus around here, due to its rich nutritional wonders, is to eat it with everything! Just make sure you look up how to cook or prepare it correctly so that your experience is a positive one in both taste and nourishment (it is not to be boiled, for example).

Because the salt is fermented, it has less of a negative effect on the individual as table salt does. This is peculiar for those of you who've had miso before, because you know that it has a pleasantly salty flavor to it (making it an excellent condiment). But that's one of the insistent beauties of this dish. Its pungency in positive flavor does not come at the loss of healthiness.

Give it a shot and you'll most certainly be squealing "Miso happy!" by the end. Unless you absolutely hate it.

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: Italian Double Potato Soup

Spicy, but not too spicy. It definitely leaves a tang in your mouth!

The crisp crunch of roasted almonds scattered on top contrast well with the thickly creamed texture of the soup. The somewhat sweet taste from the yam coupled with the filling texture of the Idaho potato worked sensationally well to make a flavorful and filling dish.

The flavor is most potently tasted in the soup's  celery, onion, and fresh basil, the fresh basil giving a hint of Italian taste to the blend. The recipe calls for Italian Sausage, but we've held off on that for all you vegetarians out there. Looking at the ingredients on this post, the soup is vegan friendly as well. :)

It has a texture equivalent to curry, but undoubtedly tastes like a spicy potato soup. With an almond cream base, it's satisfyingly thick. With whole, fresh basil leaves put into the pot, it's very bold in flavor. If you're into spicy food, give this a shot. It may not be the hottest thing out there, but it'll make your forehead shed a tear or two.

It's my recommendation to get it with some bagel chips and hummus to finish the meal off with a cool taste in your mouth.

Words to describe this soup are: spicy, bold, thick, potato-ish, slightly sweet, and heart-warming. Oh yes, my friend, heart-warming. Especially on a cold and dreary day would I recommend this pot of potato-goodness :)

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: BBQ Chicken Flat-Bread Pizza

On the newly created evening menu, on the bottom left corner, you'll find a list of our signature flat-bread pizzas. I recently had the opportunity to try the BBQ Chicken Flat Bread Pizza, which was served on a warm chopping board as opposed to on the usual plate. If it's the evening time when flat breads are available, and you don't feel like ordering the usual, go for this very abnormal and sensational meal, if you're brave enough that is!

Thick grilled chicken strips full of flavor and crisp turkey-bacon went well with the cooked apple slices which left a complementing tartness to the toppings. On top of that was the crunch of red onion, the sweetness of oven roasted tomato, and the elating sensation of smoked Gouda cheese. The oven crisped the flat-bread perfectly, so you're in for a treat if you like eating the crust of your pizza, especially as you wipe up the remainder of the pizza's sweet and spicy BBQ sauce. The serving was contently filling and diverse in its toppings. I mean, apples? Really? I didn't know that apples could go on pizza. But if someone were to ask me if I would order it again, "heck yes" would be an understatement. It was pleasingly diverse in its flavors and textures. Its like the UN of food. Mmmm, delicious, delicious UN. :-)

Words to describe this meal are: odd (in a good way), diverse, sweet (apple and BBQ), and satisfying (the density of the chicken and bread were perfectly filling). The highlight of the evening menu may be the cocktails for some, but its the flat-bread pizza for me! Recommended.

~The Harvest Crier~

See also: Health and Creativity

Foodview: Turkey Tango

Encapsulated in crunchy toasted wheat bread, the Turkey Tango sandwich was an excellent balancing act of hearty, flavorful turkey and whole, crunchy vegetables. Accented by the spicy Chipotle Mayo sauce on both breads and the delicious taste of provolone cheese, the adjectives I would knight this valiant sandwich with are firey, lean, and healthy.

If you're wanting to get your veggie on with the healthiest selection on the menu, I'd recommend the Hummus Wrap. If you want to satisfy the carnivore within you with a good serving of red meat, I'd recommend either the West of "Philly" Beef or, even better, the Harvest Beef Burger. But if you're wanting a mix of the two, getting a satisfying serving of meat without skimping out on the veggies, go for the stately stride of dancing with the Turkey Tango.

Shredded turkey thickly stuffed in between the bread, tomato and cucumber bringing a touch of freshness to the meal, spinach and sprouts christening the platter with nutrition, and Chiptole Mayo spicing up the dish make the Tango a well-rounded sandwich. I know you've heard of a well-rounded person, but a well-rounded sandwich? Yes! It's flavorful, healthy, filling, and spicy. It's the kind of sandwich you'd want asking your daughter to prom, if sandwiches could talk that is. :)

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: Hummus Wrap

Going down the list of Harvest Moon's menu items, you'll find yourself with a plethora of deliciously healthy and healthily delicious options. One thing I've come to see is that the Moon heavily prides itself as the healthier option around these here parts, and it's not hard to believe when you look behind the counter. They juice a carrot upon your order, and you're able to inquire about the ingredients and be satisfied with a shameless listing of what's in your entree!


I decided to try the healthiest looking thing on the menu: The Hummus Wrap. I ordered it swaddled in the spinach tortilla with a lush side salad complementing it. Now, to be honest, I'm not a salad kind of guy, so I couldn't appreciate it as well as others, but I will say that its crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy cucumbers made it the freshest salad I've ever had. And this is coming from the guy who doesn't like salad! The house dressing it came with enriched the salad with the flavor it needed to be much better than just a side of raw veggies. Very healthy.

As for the Hummus Wrap, it too was tightly packed with raw veggies, crisp and fresh. Yet it also had some very filling constituents in it which made the wrap more of a complete meal. When biting into it, you'll indubitably feel the crunch of cucumber, lettuce, and tomato. You'll also notice soft, semi-melted provolone cheese, sauteed mushrooms and peppers, and of course, at the center, Harvest Moon's renown home-made hummus.

Hummus in the making

In case you didn't know, hummus is quite good for you. Its ingredients are chick peas, olive oil, cumin, garlic, lemon, sesame seed oil, oregano, and roasted red peppers. In my opinion, the hummus wrap is the best way to get your fill of veggies, especially when nicely packaged in the lean green spinach wrap. Veggies are to be consumed daily, common sense says, and the hummus wrap is the best way to do that and look cool in the process. :)

~The Harvest Crier~

6 Kinds of People

In the very first post done for HM, I outlined the attitude and ambiance of this place, calling it The Culture of Harvest Moon and the Garden Herb Shop. I would like to expound upon that culture a little more by describing the different kinds of people who come into our humble brick building.

Understand that we're not writing negatively about anyone. In fact, we're not writing about anyone specifically. Instead we're writing about the groups of people that come traipsing into our shop and restaurant. If you take time to watch people, you'll notice that they have a lot of similarities. You may read this and start laughing, only to stop and think, "Hey, that's exactly what I do!" Don't worry, we're not keeping tabs on you, people are just funny in the sense that they can be categorized into groups that transcend the parameters of ethnicity, age, gender, religion, and social status. So check this out and ponder which one you may be.

The Dr. Oz Disciple: "Dr. Oz said," is usually how your conversations begin in the Garden Herb Shop. You've made a point to listen to professional opinions pretty regularly, like the morning news. You like to keep up with Oz as well as other professionals because you know that he's done more studying than you. Your personality is more trusting of authority than others, enabling you to follow the rules with great ease and delight.
And no, we do not carry Raspberry Ketone. :)

The Athlete: You usually stroll into the Moon some time mid morning, wearing one of four things: running shorts, short running shorts, tight running pants, or some sweats. You grab your supplements, food, and drink with a quiet confidence of, "Oh yeah. I'm awesome," and everyone can see it on your face. Nothing feels better than pushing yourself on the trail or in the gym and then grabbing some food. And if you can mention the number of reps you did this morning while telling the cashier your order, that's a plus.
Because you're awesome.

The Blur: You're in and out with your cup of coffee faster than it takes to read this sentence! :)

The Usual: "Just gettin' the usual," you say placing your quart of dairy-free milk-like beverage on the counter. You enjoy frequenting Harvest Moon multiple times a week, maybe even a day, because of its relaxed environment where people can sit around and talk freely. Because you're so relational, you prefer to come here, and may even go out of your way making sure to pick up your regular dose of socializing. You're cool. See you in about 5 minutes.

The Newby: The delicate look on your face as you hesitantly stand in the middle of the Herb Shop gives you away as a newb almost immediately. You've just recently turned over a new leaf and have firmly decided to eat right henceforth. But you don't know what you're doing and would prefer it if someone came over, put their hand on your shoulder, and filled you in. Hilariously, you could be told that you need to supplement your diet with organic bumble-bee elbows, and you'd probably believe it. It's okay. We were all there at one point. You're fine. :)

The BOTTOMLESS Bottomless Mugger: Just a bottomless mug is apparently all you're sustaining on. You're probably too cool for normal people food, paying no attention to the steaming hot platters others are enjoying. You've discovered the secret to living off of the bean, enabling you to work on your laptop or smart phone unhindered. Who needs to chew when you've payed for a bottomless mug? I'm sure there's an app for that. :)

So there you go. Think about it an see which one you are. Perhaps you're a whole different animal not mentioned in this post, or perhaps you're a blend of two different ones described here. But then again, perhaps I've just described you perfectly! Now wouldn't that be funny?

~The Harvest Crier~

The Best Trail Mix Ever!

Nothing sounds more invigorating than taking a hike on a clear, beautiful day. And nothing is more fitting for hitting the trail than hitting your appetite with some delicious trail mix. But there's something even more appetizing about trail mix than the chocolate chips or M&Ms scattered throughout the bag. What if I told you that there was an optimal trail mix recipe for your blood type? "You're crazy!" you may say. Well thank you, but let me share with you why the Garden Herb Shop has come to sell unique trail mixes.

The Garden Herb Shop sells trail mix "A/AB", "B", and "O" for each corresponding blood type. They sometimes sell trail mix type "A", but because "A"s and "AB"s are so similar in what is beneficial for them, they usually mix the two together.

So why is it that we sell these varieties? According to Eat Right for Your Blood Type, a book series by a very influential Peter J. D'Adamo, differing blood types function optimally on differing foods. What may be toxic for one will be beneficial for the other, believe it or not.

Therefore, the Garden Herb Shop makes mixes from either beneficial or neutral ingredients according to D'Adamo's blood type diet. Reason being because we all process food differently and not everyone's cut from the same dietary cloth. If you are a type "O", take the type "O" blend of trail mix on your way to the hike. It will be composed of ingredients either beneficial or neutral to your blood type.

For further details on the blood type diet, get a hold of the Eat Right for Your Blood Type, which we sell here at the Garden Herb Shop. We've concluded its legitimacy and encourage others to follow it.

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: Turkey & Apple Sandwich

Having apple on a sandwich has always something I was leery about. I mean, it's an apple! It belongs on a chopping board with a jar of peanut butter on the side, right? How could you even think about putting it in the context of two pieces of bread? Well, I've heard rumors that apples and cheese go well together, and when I found out that my favorite kind of cheese, swiss, was included in the ingredients of this scrumptious sandwich, I decided that it probably wasn't too bad.

"Not too bad," does the Turkey & Apple no justice. It was actually... great! It was pleasantly complex in its conglomeration of  flavors. You could fully taste the soft and shredded turkey breast copiously stuffed in the sandwich. You could satisfyingly taste the swiss cheese and the layer of apple strategically placed next to each other in the sandwich, thus making a to-die-for combination of flavors which hit your palate on the same time. A final touch of character is added to it when one tastes its sweetly homemade honey mustard which goes satisfyingly well with the tender turkey and toasted whole wheat bread. Add to this some lettuce and sprouts and you have the beautifully made Turkey & Apple.

Definitely try some apple and swiss cheese together on its own if you haven't already. It's good, but its only a sliver of the experience you'll get with this sandwich. The highlight of the sandwich is that it takes some very simple household ingredients (Wheat toast, honey mustard, turkey breast, apple, swiss cheese, lettuce, and sprouts) and ingeniously mixes them into a party of potent flavors. The flavors aren't overpowering, but bold and rich.
It held more turkey in it than I imagined, and therefore was satisfying. It wasn't overly filling like its bigger brother, the West of Philly Beef, but it did hit the spot.

~The Harvest Crier~ 

Foodview: Green Energy

Don't be deceived into thinking that this drink is your run of the mill liquefied lettuce-head (we all know how enjoyable that would be, right?) The Green Energy drink fills the mouth with a very sweet and tangy taste! Its ingredients are kale, kiwi, pineapple juice, banana, and dates.

-Kale: One large leaf was put into the blend, hidden by the more ostentatious ingredients. A brief researching of this leaf has shown me that its benefits include lowering cholesterol, lowering the risk of certain types of cancers, and helping detox the body. (source)

-Kiwi: The eccentric and fuzzy kiwi, the hairy kid of the fruit class, was also thrown into the mix. It came in second place in regards to potency of flavor. Its health benefits include a copious supply of Vitamin C, as well as phytonutrients which protect your DNA. (source)

-Pineapple Juice: Pineapple is another rich source of Vitamin C. Its tropical flavor put a real tartness in each sip, definitely taking first place in the flavor experience. Its perks include potential anti-inflammatory and digestive benefits.

-Banana: The banana assisted the Green Energy drink by providing a fuller taste and a thicker texture, making it quite filling. I feel that it toned down the spike of tartness that may betide a person if they solely drank the pineapplejuice. The banana is like the big, benevolent kid in the class, the one who keeps everyone in check. Its benefits include potassium and protection against atherosclerosis. It can also prevent high blood pressure and, of course, has a lot of Vitamin C. (source)

-Dates: Tiny morsels of diced goodness were found throughout the Green Energy drink. It's meaty texture gave the drink more character. It added to the fruity experience while simultaneously toning down the overall tartness! The positives of dates are numerous and include benefits for your heart, your metabolism and your digestive track. (source)

I liked it, simply put, and would recommend it for someone who is in a little bit of a rush and doesn't have time for a full on lunch. It's no turkey dinner, but it may tide you over until you have a clear opportunity to eat, you know, solid food. :)

~The Harvest Crier~

Long Life Starts With...

Activity and nutrition, my friends. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

When it comes to being active, one doesn't need to train as if they're planning on climbing Mt. Everest like, tomorrow or anything. Simply getting out there (or in there, for you gym membership holders) is the first step. It could be as strenuous as developing a workout routine with weights, or as leisurely as going for an evening walk. Remember that consistency always beats out quantity, so don't try to force yourself into becoming a gym rat that spends 25 hours of the day working out. In fact, unless you love pumping iron or running out the miles on a treadmill, trying to force yourself into the mold of Captain Bulging Neck Muscles may put negative stress on your body. But positively stressing your body can happen through doing some kind of physical activity, especially when it's something elating such as going for a hike, playing football, or riding your bike.


The question that everyone needs to ask is this: What is something that I enjoy doing and will also benefit my physical fitness?

When you find the answer, go bananas, even if it's something as simple as calisthenics or walking around the block. This is something the Garden Herb Shop wants to strongly emphasize: consistency always beats out quantity. So enjoy yourself in your physical activity. Life seems to go well when you learn to faithfully do little consistencies such as drinking plenty of water, getting the proper nutrients, and taking time to stay in motion.

~The Harvest Crier~