Katherine’s Crepe-Style Swedish Waffles with Succulent Strawberries
Late spring and early summer strawberries are especially sweet and succulent, especially if they are grown locally and picked at peak ripeness. I experienced a very decadent way of enjoying them while relaxing during a recent respite in the Pennsylvania countryside, with my friend, Anna: Smothering heart-shaped Swedish waffles. These aren’t ordinary waffles; they’re crepe-thin, crispy, buttery, and simply divine. Traditionally served on “Waffle Day,” in Sweden, celebrating “Our Lady’s Day,” on March 25th, 9 months before Christmas (also known as the Christian holiday of “Annunciation”). Enjoy…
Katherine & Anna’s Luxurious Swedish Waffles with Strawberries
Serves… You decide the number!
3 eggs
1 dl (3.4 ounces) Flour
6 dl (2.4 cups) Whole Milk (or 1% Milk)
1/4 cup melted, cooled Butter (or Canola Oil or Walnut Oil for a nutty flavor)
Pinch of Salt, Sugar, or Vanilla (optional)
Topping:
1/2 cup (or more) Plain Yogurt, Whipped Cream or Ice Cream
1 cup (or more) Strawberries, other fruit, or preserves like Swedish Lingonberries
1 teaspoon Maple Syrup or Confectioner’s Sugar (optional)
A sprinkling of chopped Roasted Nuts (optional)
1 sprig of fresh Mint (optional)
Whisk the ingredients together in a pitcher. Grease the waffle iron with butter or oil for the first waffle. Since butter (or oil) is in the recipe, the waffle iron will not need to be greased again.
Pour a small amount of the mixture into the Euro Cuisine Eco Friendly Heart Shaped Waffle Maker per product instructions. When golden brown, carefully lift the waffle and place in the center of your plate (smother in butter if you’re being especially care-free and decadent). Place the yogurt, ice cream or whipped cream, berries or other fruit, and roasted chopped nuts, if you wish, on the waffle. Drizzle maple syrup on top. Finish with a sprig of mint.
Lingonberry preserves are widely used in Sweden. They’re sweet and tart, and taste great with plain yogurt or sour cream. They make great toppings for crepes and Swedish waffles.
If you want more of a decadent cake-like dessert, thinly spread butter on the waffle, then sift confectioner’s sugar on top.
NOTE: Using butter, whole milk, ice cream and whipped cream make these delectable waffles occasional dessert treats, and I recommend using them sparingly. When Anna and I prepared them last weekend, we used 2% milk and butter in the recipe. I topped my waffle with Chobani nonfat plain yogurt with a little maple syrup drizzled on top. Anna used whipped cream!
How A Little Help from my Friends and Mindfulness Meditation Saved my Life!
- At June 11, 2017
- By Katherine
- In Articles, News
0
Katherine Practicing Mindfulness Meditation in the Countryside
I experienced tough times the past couple of years. Of course, I’m no exception. We all have tough times. That’s life, isn’t it? “You can’t feel joy unless you’ve felt pain…” But after being in pain and inactive for so long, I got to the point where I was physically and mentally exhausted and depressed. Symptoms like debilitating headaches and stomach pain took over and kept me from living life fully. I had to change, but it was tough. I was taking one step forward and two steps back for a while.
We’ll talk about my personal issues during the past couple of years in my next installment. For now, I’ll be in the present and try to talk you into the same. You may know that I work with clients helping them turn their lives around, to live healthier, happier, and more energetically, through gentle counseling in nutrition, exercise, spirituality, stress management, and life organization. So, I feel fortunate to know the process. I thought I would share my “metamorphosis” with you, so perhaps you might gain some insight for yourself
Attempting to recover, my first step was allowing myself to have more positive experiences. I say “allowing myself” because I had to take action to get out of my negative state. No one could do it for me. I forced myself to start listening – and responding – to the friends, loved ones, and health care professionals in my life to get out of isolation, back to socializing a little more with good friends, participating in good causes, and exercising a little. This meant “working through the pain,” an admonishment I came to detest, but one I knew was true (I had already been evaluated medically).
I started reading a book called “The Book of Joy,” co-authored by The 14th Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmund Tutu. Two of the most joyful, spiritual, and productive men on earth who have suffered their share of heartache. If they can overcome their obstacles – exile, refugee life, apartheid, targets of hate and prejudice – can’t we?
In “The Book of Joy,” both spiritual leaders emphasize meditation or prayer as the foundation of a happy life. They meditate, pray, have quiet time, for several hours every morning. Can I do that? Will I do that? Should I expect my clients to do that? Well, probably not. But I and my clients can personalize our own way to re-create happy lives. There are so many “centering” techniques that are scientifically proven to help many health conditions. In the past, I learned deep belly breathing and progressive relaxation as techniques, but I had gotten away from the practice.
Second step: I decided my personalized way to center myself and become more mindful would be Mindfulness Meditation with a little yoga thrown in. I do a little in the morning, and spurts here and there through the day. And if I can do it, you can do it – that is, in your own way. Like you, I’m a hard working professional (and I’m including stay-at-home Moms and Dads). I don’t have a lot of time. But as a health care professional and life coach, I know by many years of experience that there are certain priorities in life that cannot be ignored, or the consequences are dire.
Changing the way you think and calming your mind are the cornerstones of understanding yourself and achieving any behavior or life change. But you have to learn how to be “mindful” first. “Mindfulness is the ability to be present, more focused, and clear; for concentration to be more sustained, and for attention to be on what’s happening, instead of on thoughts, memories, and associations,” said Jack Killen, when he was the Deputy Director of the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
“There is neurobiological research that demonstrates that mindfulness engages pathways in the brain… [they] allow your brain to be focused on what is here and now… [so you’re] more able to think through a problem, less likely to be distracted by issues that won’t help,” said Killen. “Meditation is one way of exercising neurological pathways in the brain which help us become more mindful.”
So, how do I or you choose a way to become more mindful… a way that fits your lifestyle, beliefs, and personality? Here’s what I did one weekend toward this goal: I left the city to visit a good Swedish friend in the beautiful and serene countryside of Pennsylvania.
During the drive to the Pennsylvania countryside, I called a few friends I haven’t talked to in a while. That felt good. I was enjoying the drive. My headache was disappearing. When I got there, my happiness was overflowing, my headache was gone. Being in the countryside, and being with a good friend, somehow motivated me to pop out of bed early (my headache came back, ugh!). I started with a cup of coffee (strong, smooth Swedish style), then sat in a comfortable chair facing the trees. I began deep belly breathing, centering my mind on the moment, checking each part of my body for signs of stress, and then relaxing it (progressive relaxation). I put on some favorite music (rock ‘n roll was my pleasure at the moment). I spontaneously got up and started dancing. I continued with the deep breathing and some yoga exercises. My headache finally left me again. The worst of my stomach pain was gone went I recently went off anti-inflammatory medications I was taking, based on my doctor’s and pharmacist’s recommendations.
Am I cured? Well… Life is a continuous learning experience. I work at my deep breathing, stretching and light exercising continuously. Training your brain to be more mindful “is a bit like going to the gym and working out your muscles. It takes time and practice for the beneficial brain pathways to become established, similar to building muscular strength and flexibility,” said Killen.
Along with the breathing exercises, I made an effort to get back in touch with and socialize with the people I care about. But those were only steps one and two! I still needed to work on much more. Getting back to exercising my body more regularly was the next big hurdle. I don’t know how long it will take to get to my former fit self, or even a better self. But at least I’m off to a good start. And you can be, too! But be sure to check with your doctor so any serious medical condition is ruled out.
I’ll keep you posted!
The Right Amount of Alcohol Can Benefit Your Health
- At May 22, 2017
- By Katherine
- In Articles, News
- 0
Nutrition is a complicated science. Some of what we know makes complete sense, but often the science seems counter-intuitive. For instance, most people know that fruits and vegetables are good for you, but they don’t know that alcohol can be good for you, too. The confusion often stems from the fact that nutrition isn’t usually an “all or nothing” matter. It’s also dangerous to assume that “if a little is good, more is better.” Nutrition science is more like a “Goldilocks” situation: It’s unhealthy to have too little or too much of anything. In nutrition, the amount of a food or nutrient needs to be “just right” in order to benefit your health.
Alcohol is a perfect example. Through the decades, most studies have shown that light to moderate alcohol intake is connected to a reduction in all causes of death (except for breast cancer). But drinking zero alcohol, or too much alcohol, in many studies, have been associated with increased death rates. Your cardiovascular system particularly benefits from the right amount of alcohol. A recent study published in the journal, Clinical Nutrition, found that only light drinking (1 to 7 drinks per week) was associated with a reduced risk of heart failure. Previous studies have also found light drinking to be beneficial for metabolic syndrome, the cluster of conditions that occur together that increase your risk of stroke, heart disease, and diabetes (high blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides and excess belly fat). But too much drinking is clearly associated with increased death rates. And all scientific experts agree, if you don’t drink, this is not enough of a reason to start. Simple healthy living surpasses benefits of light drinking.
To learn more about wine’s and alcohol’s health effects, read my article about it.
Health authorities recommend women stick with a maximum of 1 serving of alcohol daily, and men maximize at 2. The definition of one (1) serving:
Strawberry and Rhubarb Soup
Soupe aux Fraises et Rhubarbe (photo by Alison Eaves)
At your farmers market, you’ll find strawberries and rhubarb picked at peak ripeness, which means maximum flavor, texture, and nutrition. You’re also helping save the environment when you buy at a local farmers market.
Soupe aux Fraises et Rhubarbe
(Strawberry and Rhubarb Soup)
excerpted from Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 Tablespoons Canola Oil
3 stalks Rhubarb, pealed and cut into 1.4 inch chunks
2 cups hulled and sliced fresh Strawberries
4 ounces fresh Orange Juice
1/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Nonfat or Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt
4 fresh Mint Leaves
Procedure:
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Use a pan large enough to hold all of the ingredients. Add the rhubarb and saute about a minute. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for about 7 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender. Remove from the heat and let cool. Add the strawberries, orange juice, sugar and 1/2 cup of the yogurt and blend with an immersible hand blender (I like the Cuisinart Smart Stick). Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or until it is well chilled.
Presentation:
Pour the soup into four small chilled bowls. Place a 1 Tablespoon dollop of yogurt and a fresh mint leaf on each bowl.
Did you know that there are 200 seeds on each strawberry?
Strawberries are members of the Rose family and there are over 600 different varieties. Choose freshly picked, ripe berries, as they will be the tastiest and will have the most nutrients. “Look for berries fully formed, bright red, without bruising or soft spots and with fresh-looking green caps,” says Janie Hibler in “The Berry Bible.”
Strawberries are considered a “superfood.” They have one of the highest antioxidant and nutrient contents of all foods, yet they are low in calories, so you can eat them in unlimited quantities. In fact, for your health, the more the better! “A serving of eight strawberries contains more vitamin C than an orange. Strawberries are also rich in folate, potassium, and fiber. They’re especially high in cancer- and heart-disease-fighting phytonutrients (beneficial plant compounds) called flavonoids, anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, catechin, and kaempferol.
Soupe aux Fraises et Rhubarbeis adapted from “The French Culinary Institute’s Salute to Healthy Cooking” (Rodale Press, 1998), one of my favorite cookbooks, which I highly recommend!
Springtime Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad
Four Tips for Choosing the RIGHT Olive Oil
Photo from Georgetown Olive Oil Co.
My clients regularly ask me how important using olive oil is. Of course, we have all heard about olive oil’s health benefits. But there is still understandable confusion. I’m regularly asked, “How does olive oil compare to other oils? How does it work? What kind of olive oil is best? How much should I use?” My answer: It depends…
These are important questions as more and more science is finding that the nutrients in olive oil, called “polyphenols,” are responsible for its superior health benefits. Increased longevity, reductions in cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, and various cancers, are among the benefits, confirmed a 2015 review of studies published in the British Journal of Nutrition. But olive oils can vary significantly in their polyphenol content. There are four times more phenolic compounds in high quality extra virgin olive oil versus low quality or refined olive oil – 232 mg vs 62 mg per kilogram of oil – so it is important you choose the right olive oil.
“99 percent of olive oil’s health benefits are related to the presence of the phenolic compounds, not the oil itself,” said Nasir Malik, NIH Scientist. “And without the polyphenols, you might as well use the less expensive canola oil.”
Surprisingly, when tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, polyphenols were low in most commercially available olive oils. They also didn’t live up to international quality standards defining extra virgin olive oil. These standards require an acidic pH, necessary to protect the nutrients. And the olive oils’ pH had degraded – even in the highest end gourmet shops – according to studies conducted at the University of California at Davis Olive Center.
That’s because olive oil’s polyphenol content diminishes, and its acidic pH degrades over time, as days, weeks, and months go by after harvest. Other factors play a role, too: the harvesting methods, the age of the trees, the ripeness of the olives, the processing, and the storage. Since time, heat, and light affect polyphenol content, choose olive oil that:
- Is no more than one year old (look for the harvest date on the label),
- Is in an air-tight, dark glass, or tin container,
- Is stored in a cool environment, and
- Smells and tastes like olives, which could be fruity, grassy, or peppery.
Is olive oil better for your health than other oils? The answer is yes, according to a new study in Nutrition & Diabetes. For one, “The risk of type 2 diabetes reduced by 13% with increasing intake of olive oil up to 15 to 20 grams per day (3 to 4 teaspoons),” according to the study. When refined olive oil, or other oils, were compared, fresh extra virgin olive oil was more beneficial for the prevention and management of diabetes. It was associated with lower fasting blood glucose, and Hemoglobin A1C, a three-month average of blood glucose and an important marker for diabetic complications.
Other studies have found high polyphenol olive oil improves health in many ways:
- Increasing levels of good cholesterol (which helps clear artery-clogging fat from the bloodstream),
- Improving artery wall health and functioning (important for healthy blood pressure, blood flow, reducing blood clots, and the risk of cardiovascular disease), and
- Reducing oxidation and inflammation processes involved in many diseases from infections to cancer.
To take full advantage of your olive oil’s flavor and health benefits, save your recently harvested, high quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling on vegetables, salads, or anything! When cooking with high heat, i.e., stir frying, use canola oil or nut oils instead, as they can be less expensive, and have higher smoking points so can tolerate higher temperatures without burning.
My favorite vinaigrette: Mix 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 or 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper. The proportion of olive oil to lemon juice depends on how tart you like your vinaigrette. You can also add a smidge of mustard or herbs. Serve!
One shop in Georgetown which consistently sells high quality olive oils is Georgetown Olive Oil company. It is locally owned and operated at 1524 Wisconsin Avenue. The shop displays rare-to-find information, such as the oils’ date of harvest, provenance, and detailed descriptions. And you can taste any of the oils at any time. I highly recommend this cozy and friendly specialty shop where they clearly understand what makes a great olive oil!
For more detailed information on olive oil, read my Washington Post article: “Most Olive Oil is not as Healthful as You Think”
Georgetown Olive Oil’s Varietals EVOO-2016 CRUSH (olive oil color is determined by the olive from which it is made)
My Favorite Asparagus Recipes
Spring has always seemed more like the new year to me than January first. Perhaps my inspiration comes from longer, warmer, sunlit days, delicate vegetables and fruits, like asparagus and strawberries, finally popping up, flowers blooming everywhere. Neighbors begin venturing out of winter hibernation with their first happy greetings of the year, with sounds of their children playing in the street. Celebrations are occurring all over the city showing off our beauty and splendor to the tourists. In fact, I think I’ll make my New Year’s Resolution today! And it’ll be easy – preparing batches of veggie salads – or soups, at least weekly, to help me and my friends shed some of our winter “padding.” Making delicious veggies your main course at dinners (lunches, too) helps manage your weight easily. Asparagus is one of my major harbingers of spring. Here I’d like to share some of my favorite asparagus recipes excerpted from my book, Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes: 50 New Reasons to Cook In Season!, where you’ll find dozens of other seasonal recipes:
Chilled Asparagus in a Creamy Tarragon, Shallot and Roasted Walnut Vinaigrette
Salad of New Potatoes and Asparagus with Lemony Garlic Herb Mayonnaise
Pasta with Pesto, Roasted Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes
Asparagus Salad in a Vietnamese-Style Dressing
Is Butter Good For You?
- At April 10, 2017
- By Katherine
- In Articles, News
- 0
Butter is Back! And it’s even good for you? These declarations can be illustrated by the dizzying array of delicious butters now available: besides the old-fashioned American butters, you can easily find the extra rich Irish and French Butters, and a variety of premium, grass-fed, and organic farmers market butters extolled for their superiority, and with a premium price tag to match. Is this a food lover’s dream come true? Even some nutritionists have joined the bandwagon, and yours truly has been confused.
This seemingly good news may have started with the widely read earth shattering 2002 New York Times Magazine story, “What if it’s All Been a Big Fat Lie?” by Gary Taubes, featuring a big, fat, juicy piece of steak on the cover. More recently, Mark Bitman wrote a 2014 New York Times story covering a scientific study in the March 2014 Annals of Internal Medicine journal concluding that eating saturated fat, the so-called artery-clogging, demonic fat in butter, did not raise a person’s risk of heart disease. This exciting news, covered in just about every print and broadcast media outlet around the world, seemed to reverse decades of medical advice saying the opposite was true.
So, how do we hash out the truth?
This is an important question as one in every four deaths of Americans are from heart disease, so it’s a critical issue concerning the health of the majority of Americans – and my clients, who rely on me to get it right. After all, what’s more important than your health?
Upon exhaustive research, I’ve found the answer, interestingly, is not too different than conclusions made by Harvard scientist, Ancel Keys, and other respected scientists in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s: that the type of fat – not total fat – is responsible for the rise in heart disease because of its affect on blood cholesterol levels.
But how important is blood cholesterol level? A multitude of factors increase heart disease risk, such as calcification, inflammation, blood pressure, high triglycerides, diabetes, obesity, inactivity, smoking, family history, gender, and age. But, apparently, the correlation between high LDL(bad) cholesterol levels and heart disease has been well established and is still deemed significant to your risk of heart disease and your health. Conclusion: Keep LDL low (under 100) and HDL high (Over 40) to prevent heart disease risk.
And the most recent clinical study – the gold standard of scientific studies – has confirmed the worst (if you’re a butter lover, that is): Replacing the saturated fat in butter with unsaturated oils, not only raises HDL (good) cholesterol – which clears fat and reduces placque in the arteries – using oils instead of butter also reduces artery-clogging LDL (bad) cholesterol from the bloodstream. Conclusion: Use oil instead of butter to reduce heart disease risk. So, it seems the advice hasn’t changed since Ancel Keys discovered the superior health of Mediterraneans who used oil instead of butter.
autopsy of severe atherosclerosis of the aorta (by Wikipedia.org)
In a recent Harvard School of Public Health’s analysis of the controversy, the scientists review decades of research showing the successful reduction in heart disease risk by doing things like replacing butter (high in saturated fat) with oil, replacing steak with salmon, and eating a plant-based diet based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains for the reduction of LDL cholesterol, the increase in HDL cholesterol, the resulting effect on lowering heart disease risk, and improving your overall health. Conclusion: “Butter is not back!” said Harvard’s Walter Willett.
So, what about those New York Times articles? Well… Caveat Emptor! Don’t believe everything you read, and consider the source (be sure the information comes from a peer-reviewed, scientific journal, and compare it to other established science).
To say this Swede, raised on cream and butter, is disappointed, is an understatement! But I still use luxurious butter sparingly, when I deem necessary!
And it’s a relief to know that all these years, helping my hundreds of clients lower their LDL and raise their HDL cholesterol levels by substituting butter with healthy oils and other lifestyle changes has not been a waste! WHEW! No rioting necessary 🙂
The Top 5 Food Do’s & Don’t’s Affecting Heart Disease Risk
- At March 27, 2017
- By Katherine
- In Articles, News
- 0
American Heart Association
In 2012, 45.4% of all heart disease deaths could be attributed to inadequate intake of certain foods, according to a recently published study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
We’ve known for decades that what you eat significantly affects heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hemorrhages, diabetes, and inflammation. These results were based on a variety of different kinds of studies – epidemiologic, prospective, and clinical trials – set out to quantify the effect of specific foods on heart disease deaths.
The Intake of These Top 5 Foods, In Order of Predominance, Affect Your Heart Most Dramatically
1. High Sodium: Sodium, usually eaten in the form of salt, which is half sodium, pulls fluid into your blood vessels. This extra fluid increases the force of the blood against artery walls, reducing the flow of blood to your organs, making it harder for your heart to pump the blood efficiently, and damaging your heart. This excess force (or “pressure”) stresses the artery walls, potentially causing tears, blood clots, aneurysms and strokes. The recommendation is to take in less than 2,300 mg daily. Most Americans eat at least double that.
2. Low Nuts and Seeds: Epidemiological studies have found for decades that nut and seed eaters around the world have fewer heart attacks. The oil in nuts contains nutrients which seem to have a positive impact on heart function and increases good cholesterol, which helps prevent bad cholesterol from clogging the arteries. Also, studies show nuts and seeds help keep body weight down, a major risk factor for heart disease. Eat 2 ounces per day for maximum effect.
3. High Processed Meats: Processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon, sausage, bologna and ham are a major sodium source. They’re also usually high in saturated fats, which increase bad cholesterol. Since they are the highest dietary factor correlated with cancer, this gives you another reason to minimize processed meats. But when on the occasions that you might eat them, to minimize potential damage, pair with foods high in potassium and antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables. Potassium and antioxidants may help neutralize the effects of sodium and the chemicals used in meat processing.
4. Low Omega-3-Fatty Acid Fish: Omega-3-Fatty Acids help prevent heart disease in many ways. They prevent irregular heart beat, reduce fatty placques inside artery walls, decrease blood clotting, tryglycerides (blood fats), increase good cholesterol and decrease inflammation. The American Heart Association recommends eating about 12 ounces of fatty fish weekly.
5. Low Fruit and Vegetables: Fruits and vegetables have many qualities responsible for the reduction of heart disease risk. They are high in potassium, which helps neutralize the effect of sodium on blood volume by pulling fluid from the arteries, reducing the blood’s pressure on the artery walls. They are high in water content, which studies show helps you feel more full with fewer calories, thus aiding weight loss (high body fat is the primary controllable risk factor for heart disease). Health authorities at the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend 5 cups of fruits and/or vegetables daily. They should comprise at least half of the volume on your plates.
Blueberry Soup Fuels Bikers at the House of Sweden
- At March 26, 2017
- By Katherine
- In Articles, News
- 0
On Sunday, March 19, the House of Sweden hosted the Washington Area Bicyclists Association for their 15th annual Vasa Ride. This lively WABA tribute to the renound annual 90 K Swedish Vasaloppet Cross Country Ski Race, uses bicycles instead.
Sunday’s bike ride, though, was a kinder and gentler version of the Swedish ski race, which is a tribute to the founding of a free Sweden. The first Swedish “Vasaloppet” was carried out in 1521 by Gustav Eriksson when he led occupation forces in an uprising against Danish rule from the town, Salen. This resulted in Eriksson, better known as Gustav Vasa, becoming a free Sweden’s first King and Vasaloppet’s namesake. But it wasn’t until 1922 that this endurance race was established and held its first run, also starting in Salen, with 136 skiiers, and took 7 hours, 32 minutes and 49 seconds in sleet and snow for the victor.
This year’s March 4, 2017 Vasaloppet registered 15,800 participants from 43 nations, and is the largest and longest ski race in the world. The winner, Norwegian John Kristian Dahl, won the race after 4 hours and 8 minutes.
Several years ago, the Swedish Embassy and WABA got together to create the annual Vasa Ride, with bikes, since D.C. doesn’t usually have enough snow for a 90 km cross country ski race. The Vasa Ride has four levels of riders who choose to ride for either 59, 31, 16 or 8 miles. On March 29, the House of Sweden, as usual, was a beautiful, light-filled respite from the cold, long ride. The Swedes generously provided the home base and refreshments, including the traditional Vasaloppet “Blueberry Soup,” though the American bikers’ consumption paled in comparison to almost a liter drunk by each skiier in the real Vasaloppet.
“The blueberry soup was warm and filling after the cold 30 mile ride, and it tastes better than I thought it would,” said Robert Bernstein, a WABA member who came from Ellicott City, Maryland.
The Swedish Embassy’s Air Force Attache, Per Danielson, coordinated the Swedish Embassy’s hosting his second year in a row. Danielson was a Swedish exchange student living in Richmond thirty years ago. And with this former exchange student leading, current Swedish exchange student volunteers served blueberry soup at Sunday’s event.
“It’s often the first ride of the year for Washington area cyclists, and is a fundraiser for WABA,” said Nick Russo, WABA’s Events Coordinator. WABA’s mission is “to create a healthy, more livable region by promoting bicycling for fun, fitness, and affordable transportation; advocating for better bicycling conditions and transportation choices for a healthier environment; and educating children, adults, and motorists about safe bicycling,”
