VITAL LIVING: The tipping point and cioppino – by Patty James

I met Gary in New Orleans in 2010 and we became friends almost
instantly. Skip ahead a year and he’s home in Canada and I’m home
in California, chatting and emailing and keeping up with each
other’s lives. Our friendship grew into what we knew would be a
friendship for a lifetime. Today, sadly, his life in this world is
almost over. Bone cancer.
He was strong and fit, ate a healthy diet, so why cancer? Why him
with better than average health habits? Is it food or drink or
lifestyle that causes the scale to tip in an unhealthy direction,
even to disease? Why do some drink bourbon and smoke everyday and
live to be 100, when other’s with better habits die much sooner?
Obviously genetics come into play and we can’t do anything about
our ancestry, but there is plenty we can do to keep our health
scales balanced. We all know we need to eat healthy foods and limit
our vices-alcohol/caffeine and for some smoking. We need to drink
enough pure water and exercise daily.
Don’t forget about stress.
For Gary and many others, stress might have been the culprit that
tipped the scales. He was focused and driven and pushed himself way
beyond what was most likely healthy. We all know that stress is a
killer, but how many of us do something about it? Stress reduction
should not be considered a luxury, but a health necessity. A day
off from working all the time or even just from electronics can
make a difference. Try a walk in the woods; nature is so calming
and centering. For me its outdoor exercise and cooking that soothes
me. I find myself with a knife in my hand chopping vegetables to
make a soup, or making homemade bread. It’s calming for me and
slows me down.
If you like the thought of cooking with plenty of time, not under
pressure, then plan such a day! Slow down, pick out a new recipe or
prepare my Cioppino, maybe this Sunday. Make a salad and cut some
crusty sourdough bread to go with it. Enjoy the process. Dine, just
don’t eat. Slow down and appreciate and enjoy your health.
To my dear, sweet friend Gary, whom I loved, I was blessed to have
you in my life and will miss you very much.
Cioppino
A very delicious (and messy!) dish. More of a stew than a soup.
Recipe by Patty James. Serving Size: 6
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, plus leaves, sliced
1 cup parsley, stems removed and chopped
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 cup white wine
2 teaspoons thyme
1 tablespoon basil
1 bay leaf
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3 pounds clams, in shell, scrubbed well
1 pound halibut fillets, or other white fish, cut into bite-sized
pieces
1 whole crab, cleaned, cooked and cracked
In a large, heavy stockpot, heat oil and sauté onions, garlic,
carrots, celery and celery leaves until onion is transparent and
vegetables are limp. Add chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce, half
the parsley, wine, water, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, lower
heat, and simmer for 30 minutes partially covered. Add seafood to
broth; clams first and simmer for 10 minutes. Next add white fish
and crab and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and ladle into
soup bowls. Garnish with remaining parsley and lemon wedges.
Serving suggestions: serve with crusty garlic bread. You may change
the seafood anyway you like. You can use shrimp, scallops and crab.
Try mussels, etc. If soup gets a bit thick, ad a little
water.
Our Zest program was a huge success in January! You can join us
anytime! We’d love to help you lead a healthier life.
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Home page of www.pattyjames.com.
Patty James M.S., C.N.C.
DirectionFive Health
Founder and Director
www.directionfive.org
707-888-1103
Nutritionist/Chef/Writer
Co-author of More Vegetables, Please! www.pattyjames.com