Macrobiotics Today, July/August 1994, Vol. 34, No. 4
"Natural Glory in Yosemite" Lauren Mukamal
I recently returned from a five day vacation to God's country - Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, California. It wasn't my first time there, or at any national park for that matter. But this trip seemed to have a bigger impact. Mother Nature was out in full force, peddling her glorious wares: chirping birds and early rays of sunlight creeping through the tent awakened me each morning. Wildflowers crept up and out, winding their way towards the paths we trod in the hazy sunshine, displaying their colors proudly for all to see. Small wildlife scampered about on the trails down to the valley floor and up to the top of the falls. Spectacular panoramic vistas captured my soul, making me open my eyes wider and wider to take it all in.
Although I've camped before, I never had the task (or the joy) of trying to follow a macrobiotic diet while out in the woods. The concept made me a bit nervous. How would I get the nourishment I needed to sustain me on long, strenuous hikes? How could I prepare a meal without using four pots and four burners? Would I have to spend hours on each meal or was there a faster way?
I wouldn't just be cooking for me, either. I had David's needs to take into account. I know he needs more than I do. More food in general, more grains, nuts and seeds and yes, more sweets. I also know that he's wont to grab the first thing he can find when he's hungry. I wanted to have the best possible foods on hand when those times came up.
He's been my primary motivator lately in trying to stay balanced, both in my life and in my diet. With two mouths to feed, I can't help but give more thought to what I place on the dinner table. Baked squash and pressure cooked rice won't do any longer. Now I make more valiant efforts to include all the important foods - land and sea vegetables, grains, soup, and to vary the preparation method. When he sees me enjoying myself in the kitchen, and tastes the end result, he gets more interested in the process.
So I set off for Yosemite with two goals: to get away from my hectic work schedule and to stick to a macrobiotic diet as much as possible. Surprisingly enough, I did both. And so did David. It wasn't nearly as difficult as I had thought, and in some ways it was very simple.
Planning our meals was not an option; time, as usual, had gotten away from us. The night before we were set to leave, we started throwing things together; I took care of the food and clothes, David packed up the camping gear.
I wanted to bring everything. For five days of camping, I determined I would need nine pairs of socks (to double up, of course, in my hiking boots so I wouldn't get blisters), and nearly as many tee shirts. I needed both sneakers and boots, and jackets for all kinds of weather.
The same held true for food. The last time I went camping, I had a ravenous appetite. To be on the safe side this time, I pulled every jar of beans and grains out of the pantry. I was determined to have enough. Our dining room table was piled high with what I deemed "survival foods:" oat flakes, cracked bulghur wheat, fresh and dried vegetables, lentils, root vegetables that would survive the trip and all the leftovers I could find in our refrigerator.
David, often the voice of reason in this relationship, did a bit of grocery editing. He tried to shake me of the need to be prepared for any emergency. He tried to make me see the value in travelling with a bit less. I gave in grudgingly, letting him put away the extra pound of breakfast cereal, among other things. I was not convinced. Even with two boxes of dry food and a full cooler, I thought for sure we'd starve.
As any camper/hiker knows, meals are very important. And what you choose to put in your body can make a big difference in your performance. You can't expect to go on a big hike without being prepared. And prepared we were. A big bowl of oatmeal with dried fruit, nuts or seeds got us going each morning. It was quick to whip up and filled us up for those early hours. Lunches were potluck, consisting of whatever leftovers we could drum up as we set out for the trail.
Among the leftovers I found at home, were two pots of brown rice (one with rye berries, the other combined with wild rice), pressed cabbage salad and some homemade bread. Had I had the time to plan this, I couldn't have done a better job. I used the two rice dishes in everything. I fried it with vegetables. I mixed the two kinds together to create a cold salad; I created sauces to pour over them; and I served them plain. At the end of long day's hike in the high country, we wanted something quick, nourishing and hot. The rice dishes met all of these criterion. The bread was a perfect addition for evening soups and stews. Combined with the pressed salad, we had more than enough. Each day's meals were different, and each day we got what we needed.
As an alternative to the junk David might choose to eat and drink during the hike, I filled the canteen with brewed sun tea, and each morning I made a macrobiotic version of the traditional GORP (granola, oats, raisins and peanuts). I used homemade granola and all the seeds and nuts you can think of. pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, almonds, cashews. It was encouraging to find David with his hand in the trail mix, rather than the "cookie jar" most times.
Being in the midst of all this natural glory, I (surprisingly) did not give too much attention to food. When my body got the nourishment it needed, my mind moved on to more important things. My belly satisfied, I had the chance to appreciate the wild deer with their fawns, the magnificent waterfalls leading to deep blue basins, the imposing mountains, the conversations and silences, the late night Scrabble games and the smell of the campfire.
I had settled right in to the idea of leaving my cares at home. When we got to the park, we put away our watches. With no set plans, we had no reason to stick to a schedule. Our heads, hearts, and stomachs were our guides.
I came back relaxed and restored, with renewed faith in the significance of a macrobiotic way of life. Using what was available naturally and the tools I brought with me, I managed to create the meals I needed quickly and effortlessly. And I returned to the more involved cooking styles that work for me at home, knowing that in a pinch I could pull together a meal without a trip to the market, a lot of dirty dishes or a lot of time.
End of Article
Author bio-statement: Lauren Mukamal is the Food and Nutrition Editor for Veggie Life, a bi-monthly magazine about growing, cooking and eating green.
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