Implement the 9 powers of Blue Zones

Blue Zones are places around the world where people tend to live the longest and healthiest. They share the nine traits or “powers” below. You can start implementing these powers in your life by participating in the activities listed in the passport.

• Move naturally
• Know your purpose
• Downshift
• Eat until 80% full
• Put a plant slant on your diet
• Friends at 5
• Put loved ones first
• Belong to a spiritual community
• Nurture an inner circle of close friends and family members

Learn more about Blue Zones by checking out one of the Blue Zones books from the Albert Lea Public Library.

Weekly recipe:

This Saturday, pick up some fresh produce from the Albert Lea Farmers Market! Home-grown veggies like onions, garlic scapes, kohlrabi, kale and more will be available. People who live in the world’s Blue Zones put a plant slant on their diet by eating low-calorie, high-nutrient density foods like these every day. One of the keys to longevity is being fueled by unprocessed foods which generate positive ecology with the bacteria in the human gut.

Kale Soba Salad

Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves 4

Soba noodles are made of buckwheat flour (and also usually a smaller amount of wheat flour), a nutritious grain that is unrelated to wheat. They have a stronger, nuttier flavor and are less chewy than other Japanese noodles like ramen or yakisoba. They’re often served in soups, chilled with a dipping sauce, or in salads like this one.

4 ounces soba noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce or your favorite soy sauce (tamari, mentsuyu, etc.)
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1. Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and immediately rinse with cold running water. Transfer them to a salad bowl.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the sesame oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is fragrant and golden, about 1 minute.
3. Raise the heat to high and add the kale. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the kale is tender. Add the soy sauce and toss to mix.
4. Add the kale to the soba noodles and stir gently. Sprinkle with the sunflower seeds and serve.

Remember to eat until 80% full. Leftovers of this recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Recipe from The Blue Zones American Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100, page 158-59. Available at the Albert Lea Public Library, 211 E. Clark St.