You Make Me
Feel Like
A Natural Woman
Three mothers tell why they optfor a holistic approach
to cawing for their families.
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR
H er mother finds
Leslie Miller's
kitchen baffling.
The baby sitter
hates it because
"there's no real
food here."
"We had
guests recently," Mrs. Miller says. "The
husband told me, 'I like your food. I just
don't know what's in it — and I don't
want to know.'"
The secret is out.
For starters, there's seitan, usually
served with grilled onions. Quinoa is al-
ways a good side dish. Miso soup makes
for an excellent appetizer. Homemade
tamari pickles probably will be on the
table. And what meal would be com-
plete without seaweed?
"Seaweed is a staple in our house,"
Mrs. Miller says, preparing her daugh-
ter a sandwich of whole-wheat bread
and something made of tofu that's sup-
posed to look like cream cheese. (Sort
of like Elvis impersonators are supposed
to look like the king. The essence is
there, but one look at the counterfeit
and you can't help feeling a little emp-
ty.)
Mrs. Miller, of West Bloomfield, is
part of a contingent of Jewish women
throughout the state who, from the food
they put on the table to the fibers they
look for in diapers, believe in doing what
comes naturally. And for many, it's the
Jewish way to be.
All of them nurse and carefully watch
what their children eat, often following
a macrobiotic diet. Some do not believe
in spanking. Many
prefer homeopathic
medicine. Each one
advocates heavy dos-
es of love, affection,
closeness and, partic-
ularly, nurturing.
"Natural mother-
ing does not neces-
sarily come natural,"
says Elaine Kahn of
Oak Park. "It takes a
lot of work. But it's
my job, it's the most
important job I can
do, and I take it seri- Leslie Miller:
ously."
Seaweed is a staple.
Of course, there
are some
things a person — no matter how corn-
mitted she is to tofu — simply should not
do without. Like York Peppermint Pat-
ties.
"There are times I just have to have
them," Mrs. Miller says of the chocolate
candies. "I'm an addict."
Leslie Miller and her husband, Ron,
are the parents of Sarah, 10; Daniel, 7;
Jacob, 5; and Rachel, who soon will turn
2.
Mrs. Miller's holistic approach to liv-
ing started when she was 18. She be-
came a vegetarian and began shopping
at health-food stores. There, she
learned all about the world of seaweed,
tofu, tempeh and
seitan (a thick,
wheat product with
the consistency of
meat and the taste
of what your local
health-food store
smells like).
Five years ago the
Millers' eating
habits took another
turn. Ron Miller dis-
covered he was dia-
betic. Instead of
medicine, he opted
to try and control his
disease through diet. He no longer eats
either dairy foods or meat, and the rest
of the family has chicken only once a
week, on Shabbat.
Mr. Miller also uses Chinese herbs
and regularly sees an acupuncturist.
He is an expert at tai chi (an Oriental
series of slow movements used for self-
defense and to aid in meditation) and
holds a black belt in karate.
When the Millers' son, Daniel, was
diagnosed with Crohn's disease, natu-
rally, the family reconsidered his eat-
ing habits.
Daniel, 7, continues regular check-
ups with his physician, but because his
mother also believes diet "helps calm
his insides," Daniel eats only nondairy
foods without sugar or wheat.
"Crohn's is not curable," Mrs. Miller
says. "But it can be kept under better
control with diet."
Consequently, Daniel's lunch is a lit-
tle different than most in the school
cafeteria. His brown bag is often packed
with rice cakes with that ubiquitous
tofu cream cheese and an all-fruit
spread; an apple; cookies made of rice
flour; vegetables with rice, plum paste
and soy sauce; or vegetarian sushi.
Skip the cheesy pizza. Pass on the
fat-filled ice cream. And trash the
"hormone-injected" beef, let alone those
gloriously chocolate-covered donuts and
greasy tacos.
So what, Mrs. Miller, when not
preparing those lunches, do you let your
family eat at home?
When asked, she lets out a healthy
laugh and explains.
Breakfast: Buckwheat pancakes, ce-
real or soup ("My daughter loves split
pea").
Lunch or Dinner: Seitan or soup with
noodles, eggs, beans; fettucine made
with soy milk and tofu spread; or
spaghetti sauce of beets and carrots
sauteed in olive oil with spices but no
tomatoes ("too acidic").