july newsletter - a breath of fresh air!

Hey Y’all!

It’s very officially summertime and my ‘theme’ for the past couple of months has been “Fresh Air”. This is inspired by the organization of the same name (The Fresh Air Fund) that I have been doing fundraising for as a member of their team for next week’s NYC Half Marathon. Yesterday, I visited their summer camps where thousands of low-income NYC kids go on free vacations ever year, and had a blast walking around the woods, checking out the camps’ farm, singing with the campers, and watching them play carefree in the fields and lake. …And there’s no reason we can’t take that same spirit and apply it to our own summer fun!

Have a Picnic!
Picnics are one of my absolute favorite things about the warm weather. I like to invite a few friends to meet in a public park, everyone brings something to share, a blanket to sit on, their own fork from home, and it’s an instant and easy party! (Not to mention you don’t have to prepare your house for guests or do any major clean up after). Or, you can make an ordinary meal a bit more “ooh la la” special by dining by candlelight in the backyard or on the roof. (If you need some picnicspiration, try my Greenmarket Potato Salad recipe or Mark Bittman’s 101 Picnic Dishes.)

Go Raw Together!
A couple of the things I love about camp is the opportunity to try new things, make new friends, and work together. With the abundance of beautiful and delicious fresh produce in season right now, it’s a great time to experiment with new recipes. But no one wants to slave over a hot stove when it’s hot out, so try some raw or mostly raw dishes. You’ll get to play up the lovely flavors of summer produce with a minimum of sweat-inducing effort! Have a raw foods potluck, encouraging each invitee to bring a friend you haven’t met. (If you feel like getting fancy, check out recipes from Raw Food Real World).

Ride a Bicycle Made for Two!
Or, do something else you haven’t tried that can get you out and about. If you live near a lake or a river, you can probably rent or borrow a canoe, kayak, or tube and go out on the water. If you live near hills or mountains, go camping or for an early morning bird-watching hike. If it’s too hot where you live, go out for some late-night stargazing, run through the sprinkler at sunset, find an indoor ice rink, or check out a museum in town you’ve been meaning to go to. Or, if you’re stuck in the city, spend a day exploring a new neighborhood—try new foods and learn more about your neighbors! (Try TravelSkoot for ideas.)


NEWS FROM AJA
I'm Running the Half-Marathon! NEXT WEEK!!
Continuing with my running streak, I'm competing in the Nike NYC Half-Marathon next week for charity. I'm on The Fresh Air Fund’s team and I’m looking for sponsorship-- anything you can give will help to send 10,000 low-income NYC kids on summer vacations in the country.

I'm hoping to raise $1,310. Or, $100 per mile of the 13.1 mile race!
Though I think it would be great to raise a bit more- $1,600, which is the cost of sending one child on vacation. I would be really grateful for absolutely any contributions you are able to make.

You can donate online: http://freshair.kintera.org/ajamarsh
(There are also instructions there for how to donate by mail)


ANNOUNCEMENTS, etc.
In Season: It’s Wild Salmon season! It wasn’t really until last year that I realized I liked salmon. I always thought it was too fishy tasting and the texture didn’t appeal to me. Last summer, I had some really nice, slightly rare wild salmon, and oh my, what a world of difference. So if you think you don’t like salmon, I implore you to give it a try. Here’s a recipe for my Wild Salmon Burgers.

Cool Recent Blog Posts: Read about the highlights of my trip to Summer Camp, get some Green Cleaning Tips, and make some Vegan Brownies this weekend!

Guest Blogger Opportunities: I’m always looking for interested individuals to write guest blogs for Stem+Leaf about green and healthy-lifestyle related subjects, from your own perspective. No need to be an experienced writer-- just enthusiastic with something to say! Please contact me for more information.

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The day is yours—soak it up!
Aja

camp day!

If you are interested in supporting the Fresh Air Fund, you can make a donation through my personal page for the Half Marathon.

Today was a day I'd been looking forward to for a couple of weeks-- Camp Day!

As one of the runners who are on the Fresh Air Fund's team for the NYC Half Marathon, I was invited to go and visit the Sharpe Reservation where all of their summer camp programs are held. They took us up in buses, and after only and hour and a half on the road heading upstate, we were in a beautiful land of green hills, lakes, and forest, with views of the Catskills.

As we hopped off the bus, we were warmly greeted at Camp A.B.C. by a group of young girl campers singing and clapping and smiling. This was exciting already! We met up with the camp coordinators, and went on a tour of the camps.

Our first stop was the Farm. This was definitely my favorite part! They have a small learning farm where the kids meet resident and loaned pigs, goats, cows, turkeys, chickens, and rabbits, do chores to care for the animals, and also are taught how these animals are used (for meat, wool, milk, etc.). Behind the Farm, there's an all-organic garden that the kids harvest and taste from, learning how things grow, where food comes from, and practicing traditional recipes-- today they were making Iroquois corn cakes. The camps also source the majority of their fresh produce and dairy from local farms within 50 miles.

One of the things I was really excited about was how the entire reservation is almost entirely zero-waste-- composting and recycling nearly everything they use. This is integrated into meal times where each table of campers cooperatively and willingly separates their uneaten food and scraps into 'compost' and 'trash' (and they know the difference) and as a group, clear and wipe down the table.

After our tour of the highlights of the 2,300 acre property, we went back to Camp A.B.C.-- one of the largest camps on the reservation-- and were sprinkled throughout the dining hall, sitting at tables with the campers. Sitting down and chatting with the girls at my table about their upcoming talent show, how good of swimmers they were, where they're from, and singing songs with them as we ate our dessert, was the highlight of my day! (I was bummed as I left realizing I didn't get any photos of the campers! Was too busy having fun to remember to take any!)

It was great to see these kids learning and doing things they might never be able to do at home or school, and with nothing but green surrounding the camps, and big fields to run and play in, I wish I could spend the summer at camp too! When you spend too much time, or your whole young life, as many of these kids have, 'trapped' in the city, you don't realize how much good a little fresh air can do for you.

Touring the camps, it was exciting to see how the money I've been helping to raise (thank you for your support!) for this organization is being put to excellent use. The Reservation of five camps hosts over 4,000 low-income NYC kids from 9-15 for 2 or more weeks every summer, and providing summer jobs for many of the 'graduated' campers 16 or older. I felt really honored to spend a day at camp, sing songs with the kids, and see that the fundraising and running 13.1 miles is more than worth it.


If you are interested in supporting the Fresh Air Fund, you can make a donation through my personal page for the Half Marathon, or contact them directly about contributions, volunteering, and other means of support.

think less, do more: cleaning greener

A while ago, my friend Heather wrote to me, asking:
"I was wondering if some day you might give advice on how to be a "green house cleaner"--I find myself using a lot of paper towels, and I'm not sure whether it matters what cleaning products to use. How do you dispose of your waste in a green way--aside from recycling!"
A bit belatedly, I'm happy to share a few easy tips!

Without having to go the distance of making your own cleaning products (even though it's fun and super economical), let's see what we can do to make our normal routines a bit more eco-friendly.


Paper Towels
If you are using paper towels in your home, purchase ones that are unbleached and made from recycled paper. If you are looking to reduce the usage of paper towels try these tips:

for use as napkins: tear each sheet into 2 or 4 pieces-- this is probably all you'll need! or simply use washable cloth napkins.
for cleaning: switch to lint-free towels that you can use again and again, or even more economically, use pieces cut from old towels or t-shirts.

Product Recommendation: The Twist family of biodegradable cellulose and bamboo sponges and cleaning cloths are of a style that's all the rage in Europe, and are great for green cleaning. They are easy to wash and reuse again and again, but are affordable enough that they can be disposed of when no longer effective. To replace paper towels, try the Twist European Sponge Cloth.


Cleaning Products
I try to steer clear from chemical exposure as much as possible, and it's especially important to me to use non-toxic cleaning products and to keep a chemical free home. (Read more on why this is important). What you keep and use in your home affects not only whoever is using the product via exposure, but also who and whatever else is living in the home by disturbing air quality, creating chemical residues, and heightening or creating respiratory or contact allergies.
(I started realizing the importance of using natural products after logging lots of hours in commercial kitchens where I had a lot of contact with bleach and industrial strength soaps-- my hands turned to raw eczema ridden beasts! Now between wearing gloves and using only friendly products, my hands stay in a much more friendly disposition).

Many people have a whole cabinet or two devoted to various sprays, powders, scrubs, and solutions that they 'need' to keep their house clean. The easiest thing to do would be to purchase non-toxic cleaners from natural foods stores or online, or to make your own. You really only need two or three products to do most of your household cleaning. I would also recommend a non-toxic dish soap and laundry products.

Some of my favorite green cleaning products: Seventh Generation Dish Soap; Method Disinfecting Wipes; Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Laundry Detergent and Dryer Sheets


Air Fresheners
Between all the sprays, spritzes, plug-ins, and candles, we have no shortage of opportunity to make our spaces 'smell good'. But all air fresheners are not created equal and most contain perfumes and chemicals that can aggravate allergies and settle on our skin and into our bloodstreams. There are other ways to make your home smell fresh.
get some fresh air! Open windows on opposite sides of your home for a cross breeze and turn on standing or ceiling fans to encourage circulation.
simmering spices. Simmer a pot with aromatic herbs and water - cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg are lovely options. Refill with water partway through if it's getting low.
burn baby burn. Burn candles scented only with essential oils, use essential oil diffusers, or use natural incense or burning sage to cleanse the air. These products can be found online and at natural food stores.


Disposing Of Your Toxic Products
If you are interested in making the switch to green products but don't know what to do with what you have, you can of course, use them up and recycle the containers, or pass the partially used products off to an organization with limited resources that could make use of them. If you would prefer to dispose of them, read the labels to see if there are any special disposal instructions, and also consult your local hazardous waste department-- I would resist the urge to dump them down the sink, because despite filtration and water cleaning systems, it's still likely that some of that will make their way into our waterways. Here's a site with a few suggestions.

Recommendation: Green-Kits can get you started with a Green Cleaning Kit with all of the products you'll need!


Make Your Own!
I've started making my own cleaning supplies and it's fun how cheap and easy it is! And you could get away with just having white vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice on hand and clean just about every surface in your house, but you can get a little fancier and make your own mixes to keep on hands, add some essential oils, like lavender or tea tree, for anti-bacterial and good-smelling benefits. Here's a guide to making the switch to natural products and a few easy make-at-home ideas.

A few other websites with 'recipes' for making your own natural cleaning products:
25 Non-Toxic, Homemade Cleaning Supplies; Recipes for Homemade Cleaning Products; Non-Toxic Home Cleaning


Waste Not, Want Not
As far as trash and recycling goes, well, it's a big issue. The easiest solution is to purchase fewer packaged items, and when you do try to purchase items that are packed in recyclable containers. Keep the old 'reduce, reuse, recycle' adage in mind, and you'll probably find new solutions everyday!

Reduce. When it comes to cleaning products, by using cloth towels and reducing paper towel usage, that's a big help, but you can also usually buy cleaning supplies in larger containers and use those to refill the smaller containers you already have. You can also streamline the products you have and limit it to just a few, and that will help, too.

Reuse containers as much as possible to store bulk food-- bring them with you to the bulk aisle and save the life of a container that way! Or use them in other creative ways throughout the house. Also check with after-school centers, churches, schools, and other organizations in your neighborhood to see if they can use them for craft projects or other activities. Reuse and repurpose other things around the house too-- jam jars become containers for bulk grains or drinking glasses, a water bottle can be cut and used as a funnel, office paper can be reprinted on, or flipped over and cut into quarters, stapled and used as notepads.

Recycle. Recycling paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal is of course, a great option to reduce what is sent to the landfill, but also be sure that you are following the recycling restrictions for your area, and know what can and cannot go into the bin. (Hard plastic lids, for example, are not usually curbside recyclable; and the tetra-pack containers that rice milk and other beverages often come in are regrettably not recyclable either). In NYC, the Park Slope Food Co-op accepts recyclable items from the community that cannot be picked up curbside. In Austin, Ecology Action of Texas accepts a wide range of recyclable material and also can help you find other centers.

Compost. Food scraps account for a large portion of our daily trash output, but you can save produce and other food scraps and compost them in your yard in a pile or special bin, in your house (with a worm bin), or take them to a local farm, farmstand, or community garden who will probably be more than happy to take them off your hands. Do a little looking around in your area and you'll probably find a way. Since I've started collecting scraps to drop off to the LES Ecology Center's table at the Greenmarket, I've noticed a 50% reduction in what I throw out. Sometimes more. And I can feel happy that the scraps will turn into a fantastic and nutrient-filled earth that can make plants grow stronger and make a new round of produce tastier!

You can actually compost quite a lot of things, but it really depends on where you're composting it and what it's being used for. Community gardens, farms, and other recipients of your food scraps will each have their own set of 'do's and don'ts', so if you're not composting for yourself, you should check what they allow.


Where to Buy
If you have a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or other natural foods store nearby, you'll definitely be able to find these green products. Many regular grocery stores and big stores like Target are carrying many of these products too. If you want to save some money and/or don't have easy access to stores that stock these products, buy in bulk and/or split big orders with friends or neighbors, by purchasing directly from the company or another online retailer like Amazon.com.

If you're making your own, you can purchase extra large bags of baking soda for $4 at large grocery or wholesale stores, lemons are available at every grocery store, and white vinegar is only about $1.50 a gallon. If we could only say the same for gas...


Have you tried any make-at-home products or are there any other tips you'd like to share or get more info about? I'd love to know-- post a comment!

think less, do more: Get some Fresh Air this weekend!

While you're spending your holiday weekend in the country, at the beach, or in the backyard, think about all of the children who have never experienced life outside of the city.

I'm running the Nike NYC Half Marathon at the end of the month for the FreshAir Fund-- an awesome organization that for over 100 years has been sending thousands of low-income kids from NYC on summer vacations in the country to experience what it's like to swim in a lake, see starry skies, catch fireflies, and lay in the grass.

I'm really excited to be running on behalf of these kids, and you can support my efforts with a small contribution! I'm hoping to raise $1,310. And I'm getting there, but still have quite a ways to go! Whether you can give a lot, or just a very little, every little bit helps.

I would be honored if Stem+Leaf readers became a part of this magic.

My personal donations page: http://freshair.kintera.org/ajamarsh

think less, do more: turning over new 'leaves,' or, the girl with the healthy reputation

I spent the first few days of this week working 9-6 in an office of a colleague. I'm not really a 9-6 or really an office kind of girl, in general, but I wanted to make the best of it. In the spirit of my recent dedication to stop being late, I committed myself to waking up much earlier and... going to the gym. I'm not really a gym morning person, or okay, much of a morning person in general, but I can oddly muster up the energy and desire when there's a deadline looming. But why subject myself to the early rise? Well once I considered the benefits (missing rush-hour traffic on the train, streets, and gym; having the evening free to relax; and starting the work-day off energized instead of sluggish), I stopped thinking about it and decided just to do it, and get over the feeling that waking up early was self-punishment.

Not only that, but because of my quasi-fear of growing bored, or worse yet hungry, while trapped in an office with only mediocre over-priced food awaiting in the streets below, I also each night prepared an enviable cargo of lunch and snack items: homemade salt-and-pepper popcorn (yes, as in, I made it in a pot), brown basmati with peas, cashews, garlic, lemon, and turmeric, Dr. Kracker seeded spelt crackers (they're from Texas!), soy yogurt and Ezekiel sprouted grain cereal (I love this stuff, it's similar to grape nuts, only sugar-free, organic, and overall healthier. It's the only cold cereal I'll eat now), mixed nuts, and fresh fruit.

Packing them all in various reusable containers and tucked into my canvas tote, I smiled at this image, thinking that 'Hey! These new people at the office are going to create this reputation of me' as being, if not just particularly thrifty, then totally living up to assumed expectations of my 'natural foods chef' title. With fresh market goods, organic green tea, refillable water bottle at my side, and a note to register for the upcoming half-marathon in my planner, I sat at my desk and thought, 'This is a reputation I would really like to have.' So now that I'm finally doing some of the things I've been wanting to do more often (bring my own lunch, compost, use home-made green cleaning solutions), I'm figuring out how else to best live up to my own created idea of what my reputation should be.

Having just moved, I am using the opportunity to implement more overall green practices than I have in the past. I am using all-green cleaners (yesterday I cleaned the bathroom entirely with different combinations of baking soda, an all-purpose vinegar and water spray, and a little dr. bronner's). One of the ones I'm most excited about is composting. I have done this off and on before, especially when I am doing a lot of cooking at one time, I'll save all the food scraps in a bag and take them to the compost drop-off at the Greenmarket. However, now that I have sufficient freezer space (where I store the scraps) and dedication, I am collecting acceptable food scraps and dropping them off once a week. I hope my roommates begin to feel inclined to participate as well! I mean hey, I know I make a lot of easy-to-do suggestions on here, but I also realize it's not always feasible to do it all at once, if it all, and I'm not excluded! So making the at-home composting commitment feels good!


On Wednesday morning, after the gym I breezed through the market and picked up a multi-grain roll from Bread Alone to go along with the Mediterranean tuna salad and market baby greens I'd brought from home. Whenever possible, I prefer to use real plates, bowls, and glasses-- I think it makes every dining experience significant and intentional-- and at lunchtime, I made myself this cute little meal and sat down and enjoyed it.

recipe: Mediterranean tuna salad
I don't really like 'traditional' over-mayonaised tuna salads, and while this one has a touch of vegenaise (you could use regular canola mayo), it's totally optional, I just like it for added moisture and consistency when I use it for a sandwich. Use whatever vegetables you have on-hand, but the olive and sundried tomatoes are most important in keeping with the Mediterranean style. This salad mix works really well just atop fresh salad greens, which is how I usually have it, generally substituting olive oil for the mayo.

Makes 2-3 Servings

1 6 oz. can solid tuna*, drained
1-2 tablespoons vegenaise, mayonnaise, or extra virgin olive oil (optional)
4 halves sundried tomatoes, chopped
1-2 tablespoons chopped olives (whatever kind you like)
1/4 cup chunked artichoke hearts
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup cucumber, sliced or diced
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 clove raw garlic, minced (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (lemon thyme, thyme, oregano, basil, parsley, etc.)
juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon
mixed salad greens of your choice
salt and pepper to taste

If you're intending to make a sandwich, simply mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl, eat immediately or cover and refrigerate. Keeps up to 5 days.

If you're making this to top salad greens with, I like to marinate the tuna in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper while I prepare the other ingredients. Arrange your lettuce in a bowl, top with desired amount tuna mixture and prepared vegetables.

Enjoy!

*As I don't eat much fish or meat, and concerned with mercury and sustainable fishing practices, I exclusively use American Tuna as they are a small multi-family run business out of California that only pole-catches Albacore tuna, and they consistently score well below standard mercury-levels, and they keep their product simple, which I appreciate.

think less, do more: the 10-miler

So, there will at some point be a blog up here about how I thought less and did more of something that wasn't running, but for the time being, the most obvious way I've been employing this 'think less, do more' philosophy is in running races like crazy in New York. (This is my 3rd road race since April).

This past Sunday, I ran a TEN MILE women's race in Central Park! Yeah! I'd never run ten miles in a row before. I was pretty sure I could do it (I knew I could run 8), but I didn't feel very well prepared for it, having worked out scarcely in two weeks. BUT, I not only beat my 'slow goal' of 1 hour 30 mins, but also beating my 'ideal goal' of 1 hour 20 minutes. I ran it in 1 hour 19 minutes and 13 seconds! I placed 133 out of 1341 runners. And since it was Mother's Day, I ran for my Mommy!

It was a lovely day for a run. Sunny with a nice cool breeze, and tenderly warm in the sunshine. Around the 7th mile, I spotted a couple of runners near me that I would drift in front or behind of every once in awhile. There was another woman in bright pink further ahead that I was gunning to pass up by the end. Well, I didn't catch the bright pink runner (she picked up her speed quite a bit), but the last mile and a half, I was in a pretty steady race with a woman who would speed up and run beside me every time I picked up my pace a little-- oh that was incredibly motivating-- I like a chance to be competitive on that kind of level! But once I passed the 9-mile mark, I surged big time and was on the move-- leaving her her in the dust.

Nearing the finish, through the din of my headphones pumping fast-moving jams, I heard a man who was running along side the route say (probably *not* to me) "You're almost there! Only about 400 meters!" Thankful to this man, I began my sprint, and channeled my high-school track coach's yells and gave it a powerful finishing kick. This part of the route was the same as a 4-mile run I did last month, so I already knew that the finish line snuck up on you after a sharp curve in the road. I finished in great time, and hung near the line for a minute until the woman who was giving me a good race earlier crossed. I smiled at her, shook her hand and we exchanged a 'great race!' with each other.

This run was a tester for me, to see what it might feel like to run a half marathon. I figured, once I'd run 10 miles, tacking on another 3 miles wouldn't be so bad. I'm signing up for the Nike NYC Half which is at the end of July. Let's hope I get selected (it's registration by lottery) and you can come out and cheer for me!

Here's me, moments off the finish line, feeling tired, but happy. (And with complimentary carb-refueling agents in hand!)



If you are curious about my or overall results, click here. And if for whatever reason, you want to see the rest of the awkward running photos of me taken by Brightroom at the event, just click here!

think less, do more: the 10k

This year I have made a vow with myself to 'think less, do more.' Because like so many of us, I have an ever-growing list of things I say I want to do, try out, or finally get to, and yet, somehow, those things never seem to get crossed off. I'm tired of it, so instead of contemplating how to figure these activities into my life, I'm just going to make it happen.

So that's how I wound up running this 10K last Sunday. I ran high school track and have enjoyed running off and on since then, and over the past few months I've re-emerged myself. Last year, I had good intentions to train and run in the Brooklyn Half Marathon, but my motivation waned before I got there and then I planned to run a 10K with a friend, but it never quite came together. And while it's no good to depend on someone else's interest to motivate you, at least with someone else you can motivate, encourage, and support each other, and I'm lucky to have found someone who's also fond of running and while we don't do all of our training together, we check in with each other regularly, and he was the one who, a couple of weeks ago, suggested we run the Scotland Run 10K in Central Park.

A 10K, or 6.2 miles, was within a reasonable distance for me, as I'd been running 4-5 miles at the gym a couple of times a week, and it's a pretty good race. I was really excited about it but as it got closer, all of these flashbacks of the rush and anxiety of competition from track flooded back and I started to get nervous. Participating in a 'fun run' has been on my to-do list for years, literally, so it was pretty exciting just signing up and making the commitment to do it. I just had to keep reminding myself that I was doing this for fun and not to put too much pressure on myself.

Race day came and it was a brisk 37 degrees, which wasn't ideal, but otherwise the weather was nice and sunny, there was a fun bagpipe band playing (The Red Hot Chili Pipers), and I was pretty jazzed up. I had my new iPod shuffle full of peppy tunes, and I stood towards the front of the line up of 6,900 runners (the front of the pack is meant for those running 5-6 minute miles...that's a couple of minutes faster than me, but it makes for a quicker start), and got off to a strong start and was enjoying the scenery of Central Park in the earliness of spring. The course had a few small, gradual hills, but was not too challenging, and I only felt tired a couple of times, and there even came a few moments when I thought to myself 'Hey! I'm having fun!' I wound up going about 20-25 seconds faster per minute than I anticipated I would, and finished in 1,435th place (what? no ribbon?) at a time of 48 minutes 54 seconds, which I have to say I am damn proud of, seeing as I just wanted to beat 52 minutes. High five!
If you are that interested, here are my full results.

So, keeping with the think less, do more spirit, I'm looking into a couple of upcoming half-marathons, and am applying for the Nike NYC Half which is in July, and participants are selected by lottery. My friend is now trying to get me to also sign up for the NYC Marathon. I never thought about running a marathon-- never particularly appealed to me. But I'm entertaining the idea, especially because the marathon is so hard to get into that you apply and participants are selected at lottery...which means I may get out of having to run it at all, ha!

So, stop thinking and start doing. That's my new motto. Try it out.

Enjoy some entertainment from the Red Hot Chili Pipers!