I am the pickle queen!

Who doesn’t love pickles? Crunchy and salty, they satisfy two of the three addictive food cravings (you'll have to go somewhere else if you want sweet). Did you know that you could pickle any fruit or vegetable? Chutneys, sauerkraut, kimchi, carrots, beets, garlic, tomatoes, corn, green beans, even ketchup – the list is endless; you are only limited by the space in your refrigerator.

Have you heard of probiotics? Digestive enzymes? Vitamins? This is what they looked like before the supplement companies got involved. Pickling – also known as lacto-fermentation – preserves digestive enzymes, increases natural probiotics and enhances vitamin absorbability. Pickles can sit in your refrigerator for months and only increase in flavor.

Traditionally, pickles of all kinds have been served as a garnish to meats. Medicinally, they can be used to aid digestion and resolve many gastro-intestinal disorders.

Modern mass-production techniques have changed the nature of pickles and eliminated their health benefits. So if you want to buy the real thing, look for words such as 'lacto-fermented,' 'raw' and 'unpasteurized.' If you find vinegar among the ingredients, the health benefits will have been lost. My favorite place to buy pickles is the Hawthorne Valley Farm stand at the Union Square Greenmarket. They have a huge selection and they'll let you sample. Personally, I live on their kimchi.

If you're adventurous enough to try your hand at pickling, you will find it incredibly easy. Some great books that can help along the way include:

the now infamous Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods  and the good old standby Making Sauerkraut and Pickled Vegetables at Home.

A life every day

It takes me a while to stop the noise. I spend most of my life in the city, shuffling between Union Square, Central Park, the Lower East Side and Chelsea Piers. I'm hooked on the energy of New York. Still, I find myself drawn to the quiet, meditative escape of the ocean. Once there, I try to slow down, listen to the wind and the feel the warmth of the sun. I stop and let my senses absorb the new environment. Eventually, I find myself relaxing, finally able to breathe deeply again.

This weekend was a real challenge for me. Thoughts of the future and the past wouldn't stop buzzing around my head. I couldn’t enjoy the beautiful view or the company of those I care about. I just couldn’t stop the noise! Then, I read this:

“There's only one reason why you're not experiencing bliss at this present moment, and it's because you're thinking of what you don't have.... But, right now you have everything you need to be in bliss.”—Anthony de Mello

6 Steps to living a life every day

May you be born every morning and die every night, having lived a full life.

1. Have a quiet moment every day

It doesn’t have to be a full-on meditation session, just a few moments remembering your blessings and things that make you happy. Yes, on some days it will be a challenge to find the time, but the benefits are worth the investment.

2. Breathe deeply

Breathe through your nose and allow your breath to travel all the way down to the lower lobes of your lungs, just below your belly button. Feel yourself become relaxed and grounded. Take 10 of these breaths just before you fall asleep at night and right after you wake up.

3. Practice gratitude

Before you open your eyes in the morning, think of five things for which you are grateful. During the day, carry out actions that show your gratitude to others.

4. Smile

This one’s easy, right? A study by the Dental Health Foundation showed that smiling can significantly improve your mood and give you a sense of well-being.

5. Hug and kiss someone

Do it like you mean it. According to family therapist Virginia Satir, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.”

6. Take a picture of something beautiful every day

Years ago, my friend, James Altucher, gave me this piece of advice as a part of my plan for success. It has brought me much happiness and satisfaction, and I still do it daily.

Summer jam

I was lucky last week. Walking through the Tompkins Square Greenmarket, I came upon a large basket of bruised, kinda gross-looking late-season strawberries. Perfect! I bought five quarts and carefully walked them home. 

All I needed was a big, cast iron pot, one juiced lemon and a cup of real maple syrup. Three hours over a low flame and ta-da! Yummy jam! 

It came out a bit juicy, so I used some of the extra liquid to make a strawberry-mint martini. The kids use the jam as a topping over fresh ricotta, and smear globs of it on their buckwheat pancakes. Everyone's happy!