Malibu Beach Recovery Center

Rest in Peace, Whitney Houston

Pat Olsen — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:06:13 -0800

Life is funny. My post about musicians and addiction appears, and wham—Whitney Houston becomes the latest musician to join the list of those who have died. Was it an overdose? News reports from TMZ and other news stations mention prescription pills near her body, so it’s likely? Not out of the question? Who knows.

I never even thought of her when I wrote that post. Whitney was a Jersey girl, and an icon of my generation. As so many commentators have said this morning, her voice was majestic. You should hear my women friends who also loved her describe her.

But as I heard her story on a morning show, there was no escaping her similar history to others in the field. Blessed with extraordinary talent, she had a promising future when she started out.

Then…something…insecurity?...pressures associated with fame?...a troubled relationship with a man? derailed her. I saw one headline that blamed Bobby Brown, her ex-husband, but I didn’t want to read it. She’d been to rehab after rehab. It was so sad to hear Larry King saying he didn’t recognize her even though she was sitting at the next table.

It’s so easy to speculate and blame. As one commentator said, let’s leave her be now. Let the family mourn. As I’ve said before about anyone who becomes addicted, there are friends and family members who love the person. She was a mother, a daughter, a goddaughter, a friend, and so much more.

Musicians, Addiction and Recovery

Pat Olsen — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0800

You may remember a November post about professionals that form support groups for members making their way back from addiction: lawyers and judges and medical professionals.

One group I didn’t include was musicians, and lord knows enough of them have problems with addiction. The list seems endless: Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain are just three who died from overdoses.

I don’t know what it is about the lifestyle, but drug abuse seems so ingrained in it it’s scary. Why does the creative process, and this particular art especially, result in so many people taking such copious quantities of drugs? Last year, an article in The Wall Street Journal called The Rehab Album cited a number of albums by artists who got sober. It mentioned how good the quality of the work can be on these albums.

The WSJ article noted that Rapper Eminem titled one album “Recovery” and that when Eric Clapton stopped using alcohol and heroin, he produced Journeyman and his career soared.

In the last few months I tried to read the memoir by Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards but found it too cumbersome. Here’s what the WSJ writer said about this musician:

Among those not buying into the "Celebrity Rehab" school of repentant confession: Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, whose iconic status for nearly half a century has been inextricably—and often glamorously—linked to his dissolute lifestyle. Riding high on the bestseller list, his "Life" memoir opens in 1975 with the guitarist holding a varied stash (marijuana, peyote, pharmaceutical-grade cocaine) and getting arrested in Arkansas, only to walk away in time for a concert in Dallas.

Throughout the book he is largely unapologetic about his drug intake, chalking up his longevity to his expertise as a user: "It's not only to the high quality of the drugs I had that I attribute my survival. I was very meticulous about how much I took."

I found the memoir of Aerosmith’s lead singer Stephen Tyler slightly easier to read (“Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?”), although he probably matched Richards in drug use. In this video he agreed with Oprah Winfrey that it’s amazing he’s alive today.

One support group for musicians in recovery is The MusiCares Foundation. This organization offers different types of assistance, but help with drug treatment is one of them. Yahoo also has a group.

Musicians who recover and then speak about their lost years and what recovery means to them do such a service. Those who continue to get into trouble and make the news do not make for entertaining reading. Well, not for me, anyway.

Note from Joan Borsten:

MusiCares has paid part of the cost of treatment for several of the musicians we have had in treatment at Malibu Beach Recovery Center. We are always grateful for the organization's help and support, effectively administered by Harold Owens.

Does Blue Cross Fuel Addiction by Sending Payment to Addicts Instead of Treatment Providers?

Joan Borsten — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:06:01 -0800

You are an alcoholic or drug addict in the earliest stages of recovery. You just finished rehab. On admission you assigned your insurance benefits to the treatment center.

Suddenly you get a very big check in the mail from your Blue Cross Health Plan, made out to you. Obviously the money is intended is for the treatment center. Do you forward it to the treatment center? Or do you cash the check and spend the money?

According to alcohol and drug treatment centers up and down the State of California more often than not, the check leads right back to an expensive drug addiction, or triggers a “secondary” addiction like gambling, shopping or overspending.

Is it possible that Anthem Blue Cross of California, Blue Cross of Hawaii and Blue Cross of Washington State – to name a few -- are unaware that the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) recently updated their definition of addiction to “chronic brain disease?”

Sending the check intended to pay for treatment to the addict or schizophrenic is not like sending a check to someone who broke a leg.

As a supervisor at Blue Shield put it, whenever a claim comes in with a mental health code the system should automatically direct payment to the provider.

Last year we learned the hard way about payment policy of some of the Blue Crosses. Our client was Colin (not his real name), 32. In addition to being addicted to prescription pills, he and his Significant Other were very entitled "big spenders" – designer clothes, first class travel, fine dining. While in treatment, instead of washing his clothes, Colin sent everything out to be cleaned.

Colin's insurance policy only covered part of the treatment costs, and of course he was broke, so his elderly grandparents borrowed money against their social security and pension payments, and his parents cashed out part of their nest egg.

When we discovered -- to our horror -- that the local Blue Cross, in accordance with their policies, had issued payment to Colin, we were terrified. We learned through the family Colin and his Significant Other were on vacation in Mexico. When the couple got home they quickly deposited the check and told the parents no check had arrived. When Blue Cross confirmed the check had been cashed, Colin told his parents it was a different check. The parents were ordered to stop communicating with us. The Significant Other threatened a law suit and hired a lawyer. Obviously Colin was entitled to a financial reward for having completed 30 days of treatment. Fortunately for us, the lawyer insisted that the proceeds of the check be deposited into his client trust account, and then wired us the money.

Other rehabs have not been so lucky. One lost $130,000 when clients made off with payments.

The patient of another treatment center returned home and to his surprise found several large checks waiting for him. By that time he had lost his job and was collecting unemployment. He hd bills to pay. So he made a unilateral decision as to what he thought his treatment was actually worth, and kept the rest for himself.

There ought to be a law.

Naloxone and Overdose Rescue Kits and Hangover Helpers

Pat Olsen — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0800

When I first saw the headline, “Overdose Rescue Kits”, I thought it was a joke, a takeoff on articles about hangover remedies. But it wasn’t a joke. (FYI, since that day, the “New York Times” has changed the headline to “Kits Using Naloxone Revive Addicts After Opiate Overdose”. They make those changes occasionally.) I knew about oral activated charcoal used for drug overdoses, but this was different.

Last October I posted about states passing legislation to help those who overdose by removing the fear of being arrested if someone calls 911 to get the person help. This article is about helping people in other countries who overdose on drugs like heroin and Oxycontin.

In Europe, someone dies from a drug overdose every hour, the article says. (I wonder what the figure is in this country.) With naloxone (or Narcan, the brand name), which blocks opiate receptors, the person may be revived. I don’t know if it’s possible in every case, but it’s been “shown to work” and “has been used for decades by surgeons and paramedics.” Naloxone is “a secondary chemical in the drug Suboxone”, according to Wikipedia.

The article mentioned there’s a question about how legal it is to distribute these kits the way other countries do it, but there are groups in Central Asia and in Europe hard at work. In China, if you call a hotline, someone on a motorcycle will deliver the kit to you. In Afghanistan, however, the person who gave you a heroin injection may also provide the Naloxone shot. L

Now the cost. Roughly between 25 cents and $2.00 in other countries, in contrast to about $6 or $9 in the U.S, depending on what article you read.

Be sure and check out the photo of the kit in the article. It looks very professional, like a first aid kit you might buy for your house. A nasal spray is available as well. I wonder why I never heard of these kits before.

In a 2009 article in Time magazine, addiction writer Maia Szalavitz wrote about programs in Chicago and North Carolina in this country. I also found mention of the kits by a Canadian blogger. Here’s an article from the Harm Reduction Journal on a government site about a study of a program in New York City. The conclusions seemed pretty positive. Finally, NPR has had a story on the kits, too.

As the New York Times writer mentions, if someone is revived with this kit, it may send him or her back to rehab. On the other hand, Szalavitz notes a problem with these programs: could drug users also think that if this is something that can resuscitate them they can continue using drugs with impunity? Which, as we know, is playing Russian roulette with your life.

About hangover remedies…there’s news on that front as well. Just before New Year’s, several new products hit the news. Enterprising entrepreneurs have been busy.

One product, a patch, goes on an area like a forearm 45 minutes before drinking and should be worn for eight hours after the last drink. It contains B and other vitamins, Acai berry, and folic and pantothenic acid. But even the doctor that helped produce the patch said that nothing will help those who drink a lot, so doesn’t this appear senseless?

Another supposed remedy is a pill that is a blend of aspirin, an antacid, and caffeine, and yet another is a mix of vitamin B and C, magnesium and cysteine. It seems to me there are so many more productive things to be doing with one’s time, and so many better things to invent for mankind.

Update from Joan Borsten:

Fifteen minutes after we published Pat's article, the phone rang. A woman had already read it and wanted to know where to get a Naloxone kit. She said she wanted to have one on hand in case her brother, a heroin addict, overdosed. While researching this article, Pat had looked without luck for a manufacturer of these kits. She tried again and discovered that kits require a prescription and the local pharmacy may or may not have a kit on hand, but there are apparently 200 naloxone distribution programs around the country. There is a large program in New York directed by Sharon Stancliff with the Harm Reduction Coalition. To find one in your area, type http://hopeandrecovery.org/overdose into your search engine and enter a zip code into the program locator.

Drunk Shopping

Pat Olsen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0800

Joan mentioned recently that I post about alcohol frequently. It’s true, I do. You have to admit—it’s everywhere. It’s in newspaper ads, it’s paired with entrees on restaurant menus…And it’s easy to see why. It’s the “socially acceptable” drug. A friend of mine recently said that kids smoking pot today are as ubiquitous as people drinking wine. Sad analogy, but it shows once again, alcohol is everywhere and often considered socially acceptable.

One example of how rampant alcohol is in our culture is the articles about the increase in people who shop online after drinking. You’ve probably heard of “drunk dialing” (making phone calls you otherwise wouldn’t make if you were sober); now we have “drunk shopping,” or more elegantly “shopping under the influence,” according to an article in The New York Times.

It was especially popular to drink and shop online over the holidays, according to the writer. Boutiques have long been enticing shoppers with wine and cheese, and over the holidays, at least one brick-and-mortar retailer, A.Line Boutique in Denver, used alcohol and food platters in the hope customers would shop more after imbibing.

As a society, we use alcohol in many ways, such as to mark important occasions, in the Catholic ritual of communion, and when socializing with friends and family. In moderation it’s harmless and even has protective effects on the heart. (Doesn’t it seem like researchers are always finding more benefits?)

Most people can drink socially with no problem. But for others, those who abuse alcohol or become addicted to it, alcohol has serious consequences. (That’s over 14 million people in the U.S.) Socially, it’s a disaster for the drinker and those around him or her. (You’ve probably heard that 1 in 4 people are affected by a loved one’s drinking.) And physically, alcohol can kill.

As I’ve written before, in The Physical Toll of Alcoholism, it affects countless organs in the body, can lead to cancer, and impacts your brain. It’s also the cause of car accidents and accidents in the home. Less deadly but still sad are how it affects one’s judgment. Drunk shopping indeed.

Malibu Beach Recovery Diet - Valentine's Day

Licia Jaccard — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:41:43 -0800

Here comes February! Since a few days after Christmas, stores displays are already dressed in pink and red and gear our attention towards the celebration of Valentine’s Day or, in some cases “Singles Awareness Day”. Rarely does the fact that you are or not in a relationship, whether it is willfully or not, weigh-in so heavily in a world divided in two: the have or have not...

However, there is always a purpose in knowing how to cook for 2, and the following recipes will enable you to have this special feast at any time of the year, for a friend, a date, or a significant other at the time of your choice... and maybe Valentine’s Day!

Starting the meal with an appetizer that is made well in advance allows you to focus your attention on your guest without being buried in the kitchen. This traditional dessert recipe was converted to its savory counterpart where the quality of the Parmesan cheese you have purchased will shine. Roasted tomatoes are available in the olive bar of most higher-end grocery stores such as Whole Foods or Gelsons. If fresh ones are unavailable, use sundried tomatoes packed in oil and drain well.

As well, this is a day where you should indulge in a beautiful piece of white fish, chilean sea-bass in this recipe, and serve it with the unusual braised radishes and the more traditional roasted asparagus tips.

Lastly, dessert is the perfect setting for romance, and this one brings strong flavors, delicate balance and a rich lusciousness to the end of your meal. This grown-up chocolate pie is a favorite of mine, as well as every other chocolate lover I have ever served it to. Furthermore, if you were tempted to double the recipe, it can be made in advance and will freeze beautifully to allow you to enjoy the memories for many months to come.

Such a brilliant meal will certainly bring you praise and lots of bonus points. Most of all, it rekindles the feeling that food can be anything but boring and can actually be fun to prepare and, most importantly, to share!

Click on Continue Reading (below) for the recipes.

Happy Valentine’s Day,

Licia

www.sharemorethanfood.com

Braised Radishes

Ingredients

2 bunches radishes, about 1 pound, trimmed of tops and root

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Place radishes in a skillet with stock, butter bits, shallots, agave, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Uncover the pan and reduce heat to medium. Cook radishes 10 to 12 minutes and if the stock has not cooked away, remove radishes and cook down to 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes.

Savory Crème Brûlée with Parmesan and Balsamic Vinegar Syrup

Serves 2

Ingredients

3/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
2 tsp freshly cut basil
2 oven roasted tomatoes, diced and dried on a paper towel
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Heat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare 2 4oz ramekins. In a small saucepan combine the cream and milk. Whisking often, heat over medium heat until the milk is just barely simmering.

Add the parmesan and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the yolks, whole egg, and salt. When the cream has cooled slightly, whisk it into the eggs in a steady stream, whisking constantly.

Place the roasted tomatoes and basil in the bottom of the ramekins and pour the egg/cream mixture over the tomatoes. Set them into a glass baking pan and pour about 4 cups of very hot water into the baking pan. The water level should be about half way up the sides of the ramekins.

Carefully put the water bath and ramekins into the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted into the middle of one of the ramekin mixture comes out clean.

Remove the ramekins from the oven and remove from the water bath. While the ramekins are cooling, heat the 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until the liquid simmers down into a thicker syrup, about 8 minutes. It should have a molasses type consistency.

Sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the tops of the crème brûlées and heat with a kitchen torch until browned.

Serve with a drizzle of the balsamic vinegar syrup over the top..

Pan-Seared Sea Bass

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 large onion
1/4 cup chicken stock
8 oz. fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup of chicken stock
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 fillets of sea bass (approximately 1 lb.)
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Place a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion until it is translucent, making sure it doesn’t burn.

Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock and let the liquid reduce until completely evaporated. Add the mushrooms and butter. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the mushrooms are tender. Add the chicken stock, a little salt and pepper, and let the sauce cook down until it thickens a little.

In an oven-proof heavy pan, heat the canola oil until it comes close to smoking point.

Pat dry the fillets on both side and season with salt and pepper and add to the hot pan. If your filet has the skin still attached, start the cooking skin side down for approximately 5 minutes until the skin is nice and crispy. Then, flip them over for 30 seconds, and transfer into a 450° oven to roast for about 3-4 minutes. If your fillets are skinless, cook them on one side for about 5 to 6 minutes and flip them over for another 2 minutes before transferring to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes.

Heat the serving plates in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Place the onion-mushroom mixture on the plate and top with the pan roasted fillets. Sprinkle a little of the chopped parsley and serve.

Chocolate Ganache Tart

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the crust:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1 tablespoons Splenda
1 vanilla bean, halved, seeds scraped, bean reserved
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

For the filling:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cut into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the raspberry sauce

1 (10-ounce) bags frozen raspberries

Instructions

For the crust:

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.

Combine butter, vanilla seeds, and salt in a large bowl and stir until evenly incorporated.

Add flour and stir until just combined and a soft dough forms.

Sprinkle dough over the bottom of an individual 3-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Using a measuring cup or your fingers, evenly press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan (flour the cup occasionally to prevent sticking).

Repeat with second tart pan. Reserve remaining dough for other use.

Cover the tart shells with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once chilled, prick the shells all over with a fork and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling:

Place chocolate and butter in a medium bowl; set aside.

Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until liquid is just at a simmer, about minutes.

Pour cream mixture over chocolate and butter and let sit until melted, about 4 minutes. Gently stir until smooth.

Pour ganache into the cooled tart shells and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill until set, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

For the raspberry sauce:

Place raspberries into blender and blend at high speed until completely smooth. Strain to remove any remaining seeds . Serve with unmolded tarts and place a couple of fresh raspberries on the plates.

Drugs in the Military

Pat Olsen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:21:41 -0800

In December I posted about drugs in prison. Unfortunately, drug use is a problem in our armed services as well. As the U.S. marked the end of the war in Iraq in December, experts mentioned the monetary and human price we paid. But in addition to the number of soldiers killed and maimed, there’s another cost of war that wasn’t mentioned in that tally: the number of soldiers who became addicted and/or got into legal trouble related to drugs. As far back as 2005, the website www.military.com, the online version of the military publication “Stars & Stripes,” reported that military investigators had arrested a soldier for selling cocaine in Iraq. Other drugs were a bigger problem, however.

“What's more common are soldiers who sneak liquor, marijuana, Valium, hashish and a variety of prescription drugs, such as Ritalin, onto base and pass it along to friends,” said Lt. Col. John Dunlap, the top military prosecutor for the 256th Brigade Combat Team, a National Guard unit from Louisiana, at the time.

The Lt. Col. said that he and others aggressively prosecute drug possession. I assume that’s mostly to protect the troops -- there’s too much at stake to allow a soldier to use drugs. He added that service personnel “who come forward and admit they have a problem typically face little or no punishment and are given counseling and medical treatment.”

A headline in “The Arkansas Democrat Gazette” that year was “Drugs, Booze Easy For GIs to Get in Iraq.” The article itself listed case after case of soldiers engaging in substance abuse in Iraq.

Take a group of (mostly) men far from home, have them fight a war -- a life and death situation – and many of them are bound to get into trouble with drugs and booze. How many soldiers came home from Vietnam addicted?

As if anyone needed proof that servicemen and women that are deployed have a higher rate of drug use than their counterparts at home, the figures are backed up by a Department of Defense report, according to a website called Albuquerque Rehabs. The stress and harrowing experiences of war can also lead to “self-medication of mental health issues” requiring dual diagnosis support for these service personnel when they return home.

Why is none of this surprising? And how can we do a better job at preventing it from happening?

News in the Addiction and Recovery Field

Pat Olsen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:34:11 -0800

Recently Malibu Beach Recovery Center CEO Joan Borsten and I were talking about some dramatic news.

First, last year the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) introduced a new definition of addiction that “knocks the psychological element off centre stage, redefining addiction as a chronic neurological disorder and an imbalance in the brain’s ‘reward’ circuitry.” (That’s from an editorial in a nutrition and mental health newsletter from the International Schizophrenia Foundation.) Joan applauded ASAM for finally recognizing what scientists like Dr. Kenneth Blum and NIDA chief Dr. Nora Volkow have known for decades -- that addiction is a chronic brain disease. Remember her Dopamine for Dummies article?

Second, SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration) has announced a working definition of “recovery,” (from mental disorders and substance abuse disorders). The group worked with people from behavioral health care, among others, to detail the essential, common experiences of those recovering from these conditions. They offer this statement:

“A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.”

And these components that support a life in recovery:

Health: Overcoming or managing one's disease(s) as well as living in a physically and emotionally healthy way.
Home: A stable and safe place to live.
Purpose: Meaningful daily activities, such as a job, school, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors, and the independence, income, and resources to participate in society.
Community: Relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

Here’s what I see: Every field needs a vocabulary people can agree on. It drives the work and indicates what the field is about. It supports the members and the experts, and it’s important.

We are still at the start of this New Year. I’m thinking of all the people in recovery and wishing them well. I’m thankful for all the recovery centers around the country helping them to improve their life and reach their new potential.

Malibu Beach Recovery Diet January 2012 - Creamy Cauliflower Soup, Sea Bass Steamed in Rosemary Oil, Chocolate Mousse

Licia Jaccard — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:23:56 -0800

First of all, my best wishes to all of you for a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year. May all your dreams cometrue and all your resolutions last more than a month! For me, healthy eating is one of the hardest ones to maintain. Do not get me wrong, I love the farmer’s market and cooking a beautiful dish that makes your heart and your eyes sing, and your body show you endless grattitude. However, our world is surrounded with the worst possible combinations when it comes to food. Do not get me started on the power of an industry that cares more about dollars than it does about a nation’s health. It is mind boggling that we have just come to realize what has litterally been pushed down our throats by unscrupulous corporate giants. And those combinations are addictive and it takes serious willpower to walk away. We have all been made aware of the catastrophic impact of sugar in our lives, and if not, just imagine a four-year old on Halloween night and you pretty much have the picture of what sugar addiction can cause to your mind, body and blood sugar.

Another excess in our food stream is salt, sodium, soy sauce and all other combinations that greatly contribute to the increase of major diseases as indicated by this article in the NY Times:

“Although there has been on-and-off controversy about the value of limiting dietary salt, there is no question that a high level of sodium in the diet raises blood pressure and the risk of chronic hypertension by stiffening arteries and blocking nitric oxide, which relaxes arteries. Hypertension, in turn, contributes to heart disease and stroke, leading causes of death. Potassium, on the other hand, activates nitric oxide and thus reduces pressure in the arteries, lowering the risk of hypertension.”

Unfortunately, highly processed foods gain in sodium what they lose in potassium, therefore creating an inbalance that puts our health at a higher risk.

Once again, we are reminded that we are the keepers of our bodies and that, if the convenience of eating out, whether fast food or not, is something we have grown accustomed to, the trade-off might be a couple of years shaved off of our life expectancy, whether we like it or not.

The key for me to reclaiming control over our food is to use simple recipes that use fewer ingredients, being able to assess their level of processing and using herbs and spices instead of salt to bring out the true flavors of each ingredient. The following recipes for Creamy Cauliflower Soup, Sea Bass Steamed in Lettuce with Rosemary Oil, and Chocolate Mousse (an MBRC favorite) all have in common is the amazingly clean and strong flavor of each component.

When we compare the ease of preparation and intensity of flavor from a simple meal such as this one, we enter a whole different word of refinement and enjoyment where fast and heavily processed foods will no longer hold their appeal on us.

Click on Continue Reading (below) for the recipes.

Enjoy!

Licia

www.sharemorethanfood.com

Cauliflower Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion (6 ounces), sliced thin
1 head very fresh cauliflower (about 1-1/2 pounds), broken into florets
Salt, pinch
5 1/2 cups water, divided
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.
Add the cauliflower, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew the cauliflower for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered.
Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.
Thin the soup with 1/2 cup hot water. Reheat the soup. Serve hot, drizzled with a thin stream of extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

Seabass Steamed in Lettuce with Rosemary Oil

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 8-oz black or Chilean sea bass fillets (or other delicate white fish)
8 large green leaf lettuce leaves
2 tsp plus 6 Tbsp rosemary oil, (store bought or make your own below)

Instructions

Remove any little bones from the fish. Season fillets lightly with freshly ground black pepper.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add lettuce leaves and boil for one minute or until just pliable.Remove immediately to a colander and rinse under cold water, being carefuk not to tear the leaves. Pat dry with paper towels.

Brush 1/2 tsp rosemary olive oil on each piece of fish. Wrap each fillet in 2 lettuce leaves, pressing them down to tightly and completely enclose fish.

Bring a large pot of water fitted on top with a flat steamer basket to a boil. Place wrapped fish in the basket in a single layer, vocer and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

While fish is cooking, gently heat 6 Tbsp rosemary oil in a small pot with 3 Tbsp water and a pinch of salt. Keep warm.

Carefully remove fish from steamer and transfer to plates. Drizzle warm sauce over the fish and serve immediately.

Rosemary Oil

Ingredients

1 large bunch fresh rosemary
1 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

Separate rosemary leaves from the stems. Pack a 1/4 cup measure tightly with rosemary leaves. Wash and dry well.

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Place rosemary in boiling water and cook for 30 seconds. Drain in sieve under cold water. Dry with paper towels. Plae rosemary in blender with olive oil. Process until rosemary is finely chopped. Transfer contents to a bowl or to a jar with a lid. Let sit 3 hours, stirring frequently, or shaking the jar.

Strain the oil through a paper coffee filter or a fine-mesh sieve. Place in a jar, adding a few rosemary branches if desired. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

French Chocolate Mousse

Instructions

Separate rosemary leaves from the stems. Pack a 1/4 cup measure tightly with rosemary leaves. Weash and dry well.

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Place rosemary in boiling water and cook for 30 seconds. Drain in sieve under cold water. Dry with paper towels. Place rosemary in blender with olive oil. Process until rosemary is finely chopped. Transder contents to a bowl or to a jar with a lid., Let sit for 3 hours, stirring frequently or shaking the jar.

Strain the oil through a paper coffee filter or a fine-mesh sieve. Place in a jar, adding a few rosemary branches if desired. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Ingredients

8 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tsp vanilla extract
8 Tbsp unsalted butter
8 large egg yolks
5 large egg whites

Instructions

Place the chocolate, butter and vanilla in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Let alone until chocolate is melted. Stir until completely smooth
Combine the egg yolks in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in the chocolate while still lukewarm.
Place the egg whites in a large bowl and beat until stiff but not dry.
Add one third of the whites to the chocolate mixture and slowly mix it in to lighten the mass. Pour the rest of the whites in the bowl and carefully mix it in with a spatula until no streaks of white are visible.
Pour into a serving dish and refrigerate for 2 hours or longer.

Methamphetamine still popular

Pat Olsen — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:54:19 -0800

In the last few years, we’ve heard about a huge problem in our country: meth labs, especially in remote areas in places like Missouri. Residents living in poverty with few income possibilities have turned to making meth as a way to make money, with dire consequences for the rest of the population.

Just when I thought the problem may be abating, I see a December USA Today article that the problem is still going strong in Missouri. In fact, it has been for 12 years. I did a web search for “methamphetamine” and I can’t believe how many sites with recipes for making it come up!

Meth has limited medical uses, according to NIDA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIDA’s webpage for the drug is chock full of information. You can smoke, snort, or inject methamphetamine, or dissolve it in water or alcohol and drink it (although it has a bitter taste), and it produces an intense rush when taken the first three ways I mentioned.

In NIDA’S words:

Long-term methamphetamine abuse has many negative health consequences, including extreme weight loss, severe dental problems (“meth mouth”), anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent behavior. Chronic methamphetamine abusers can also display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and delusions (for example, the sensation of insects crawling under the skin). Transmission of HIV and hepatitis B and C can [also] be consequences of methamphetamine abuse.

Throughout the nation, almost 7,000 meth labs have been seized to date. (Equipment and dump sites are included in that figure.) Luckily, similar to their actions regarding bath salts, states are stepping in and passing legislation to restrict the sale of cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine, one of the ingredients of homemade meth. I don’t know about your state, but here in NJ you have to ask for certain cold medications because they’ve been moved to behind the counter.