SVCB IN TOUCH

Newsletter of the SILICON VALLEY COUNCIL OF THE BLIND

A Chapter of the California Council of the Blind

October 2020

EDITOR: Susan Glass, editor@svcb.cc

COPY EDITOR: Beverly Clifford, copyeditor@svcb.cc

ADDRESS: P.O. Box 493, Mountain View, CA 94042

DEADLINE: for the November, 2020 issue: noon, October 23

VOLUNTEERS: Naomi Grubb, volunteers@svcb.cc

MEMBERSHIP: Mike Keithley, membership@svcb.cc

LEGISLATION: Mike Keithley, legislation@svcb.cc

PHONE: 888-652-5333

EMAIL: svcb@onebox.com

URL: http://svcb.cc

Legislative Hotlines, current issues for blind persons:

CALIFORNIA CONNECTION: 800-221-6359, after 5 PM and weekends

WASHINGTON CONNECTION: 800-424-8666, 3–9 PM and weekends

DISCLAIMER: This publication contains announcements from the Silicon Valley Council of the Blind and is also a forum for opinions relating to blindness issues. Signed articles reflect the views, and research, of their authors.

STATUS: SVCB is a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax-exempt organization under the California Council of the Blind.

CHANGES OF ADDRESS: Contact Mike Keithley, database@svcb.cc.

Monthly meetings are held at the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center (Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Jose). Meetings run 9:30 AM to 1 PM the third Saturday of the month and are open to all.


IN THIS ISSUE


***PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

by Rob Turner

I'm pleased to report that the CCB auction was a huge success. The final figures haven't been announced yet, but I know that total bids exceeded nine thousand dollars. I won the bid for a gift basket containing three bottles of wine and an assortment of yummy snacks.

Planning is already underway for the CCB 2021 annual convention. Once again it will be held virtually using Zoom. We expect to have an in-person convention in 2022. For those of you who can't attend in person, you will be able to participate using Zoom.

If you are feeling isolated, remember our four o'clock Wednesday social hour. New check-ins are always appreciated.

On a personal note, an overnight visit by my brother Doug, who lives in Folsom California, really boosted my spirits.

I look forward to speaking with everyone at our October virtual meeting.


***PROGRAM

The featured speaker for our SVCB October meeting will be Mr. James Collins, who will familiarize us with the Energy Upgrade California initiative, and its relevance to our lives. Energy Upgrade California is a statewide initiative committed to helping Californians be more energy efficient, utilize more sustainable natural resources, reduce demand on the energy grid, and make informed choices about their energy use at home and at work &mdash all of which goes a long way for California.


***MEMBERSHIP CORNER

by Mike Keithley

So will the pandemic ever end? Yes, tomorrow, according to King's friends. "Actually, they don't know anything about pandemics, not knowing what it means. But discussions during the SVCB social hour are filtering into parts of their community. My interests about the pandemic are what things will be like when it's over." That's right, and we can throw the notion of normalcy out the window. For instance, three of the restaurants Star and I really liked to visit are simply gone, and it's sad. But imagine what's coming! Let's hang around to live the future now.

We seem to be losing contact with members. Sharon Vaughn has disappeared, and if anyone knows how she is, please let president Rob Turner know. Likewise Frank Brown is missing. And what's happened to Lupe?

We had an involved and complex presentation from the League of Women Voters about state and local propositions on the November ballot. You can hear all of it at http://svcb.cc/psaudio/20/ps0920.mp3

The Nominating Committee has been formed to present a slate of candidates for the chapter elections at the November meeting. All officers are up for re-election (their terms are one year), and one directorship must be filled.

The committee will announce it's candidate slate in the November newsletter and at the November meeting. Committee members are: Carol Silveria (chair), Lorraine Brown, and Alice Turner. If you want to be President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, or Treasurer, be sure to contact someone on the committee.

Come to the SVCB social hour every Wednesday at 4 PM. See the Event Calendar for call-in details.


***FUND-RAISING REPORT

Hello, everyone!

Another month has gone by, and we are still needing to practice social distance. I plan to schedule another fund-raising meeting, and hopefully by the time the chapter members read this the meeting will have taken place. We are still trying to come up with some fund-raising ideas under these unusual COVID pandemic circumstances. As I mentioned in last month's report, if anyone has any ideas as to a way we might fund-raise, we would love to hear from you.

We will continue to keep all of you informed if and when the situation changes. As for now, please stay safe and well!


***Nourishing Your Body

By Abby Tamara, MA, MSW

Please note that this column is for information, and not medical advice. Please consult your physician in regards to information concerning personal medical conditions. If anyone has any areas of nutrition or types of recipes they want information on, feel free to email me and I will be happy to assist you.

Physicians who focus on nutrition to help individuals lose weight, prevent disease, and recover from heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune diseases are increasing. Sometimes they themselves refocus their medical practices because they have been helped by changing their own diets. Christina Miller, M.D., was an emergency room physician when she became ill with Lupus. She quit her job, and learned how to be healthier by changing her lifestyle and her diet. Her website is:

https://eatandlivehealthfully.com

Christina Miller, M.D. is one of three physicians that do telephone consultations to individuals through https://plantbasedtelehealth.com. She is not licensed for consultations in California, but there are 2 other physicians who are. Michael Klaper is internationally recognized, has been actively involved in using nutrition in clinical practice, and also in the education of physicians and others to the importance that nutrition plays in health and wellness. He has answered the "Ask the Doctor" column on Dr. Fuhrman's website, and has practiced at TrueNorth Health Clinic in Santa Rosa, CA. He lives in Southern California, and is available for telehealth in California. The other physician also available is Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA. Here is the link for anyone that would be interested in reading about this service:

https://plantbasedtelehealth.com

Dr. Joel Fuhrman's medical practice is also available for telehealth in California. About six years ago, I had a telehealth appointment with Dr. Jay Benson from the practice. The consultation helped me refine my diet and increase my wellness. Here is the link to the services if anyone is interested:

https://www.drfuhrman.com/medical-practice

With the seasons changing and Fall arriving, I have chosen to focus on recipes that have pumpkin in them for this issue. I have included a range of difficulties in the recipes, as well as a range of types of recipes. Two of the recipes are from Christina Miller's website, https://eatandlivehealthfully.com (and one of the recipes she adapted from Dr. Fuhrman's website). One recipe is from Straight up Food, Cathy Fisher: https://www.straightupfood.com/blog/ and the other recipes are from Dr. Fuhrman's website:

www.DrFuhrman.com.

Pumpkin Spice Steel Cut Oats

www.DrFuhrman.com

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup steel cut oats
  • 1/2 cup diced apple
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground flax seeds
  • 2 tablespoons raisins
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions:

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil, and stir in all ingredients except nuts. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until oats are tender and water is absorbed, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, and stir in nuts.

Per Serving: CALORIES 382, PROTEIN 11g, CARBOHYDRATES 56g, SUGARS 7g, TOTAL FAT 15g, SATURATED FAT 1.2g, SODIUM 17mg, FIBER 10.3g, BETA-CAROTENE 19ug, VITAMIN C 4mg, CALCIUM 71mg, IRON 3.1mg, FOLATE 21ug, MAGNESIUM 54mg, POTASSIUM 327mg, ZINC 0.8mg, SELENIUM 2.2ug

Avocado Toast with Sliced Tomatoes and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

www.DrFuhrman.com

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 4 (100% whole grain) pitas, lightly toasted
  • 1 ripe avocado, mashed
  • 1 medium tomato, sliced
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
  • 2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds, toasted (see note)
  • black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions:

Spread the mashed avocado on top of the toasted pitas. Add tomato slices and sliced onion, and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Season with your choice of ground black pepper or red pepper flakes.

Note: Other seeds or chopped nuts may be substituted.

Per Serving: CALORIES 267, PROTEIN 8g, CARBOHYDRATES 30g, SUGARS 3g, TOTAL FAT 15g, SATURATED FAT 2.2g, SODIUM 120mg, FIBER 9.2g, BETA-CAROTENE 1571ug, VITAMIN C 16mg, CALCIUM 23mg, IRON 2.4mg, FOLATE 78ug, MAGNESIUM 76mg, POTASSIUM 583mg, ZINC 1.2mg, SELENIUM 1.1ug

Creamy Pumpkin Dressing

www.DrFuhrman.com

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (see note)
  • 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 6 regular dates or 3 medjool dates, pitted
  • 2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's Spicy Pecan Vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender. If desired, add additional non-dairy milk or water to adjust consistency.

Note: Use fresh pumpkin puree or pumpkin puree packed in BPA-free tetrapak cartons.

Per Serving: CALORIES 115, PROTEIN 4g, CARBOHYDRATES 13g, SUGARS 9g, TOTAL FAT 6.3g, SATURATED FAT 0.5g, SODIUM 9mg, FIBER 2.5g, BETA-CAROTENE 610ug, VITAMIN C 2mg, CALCIUM 69mg, IRON 0.8mg, FOLATE 11ug, MAGNESIUM 44mg, POTASSIUM 261mg, ZINC 0.6mg, SELENIUM 0.4ug

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

www.DrFuhrman.com

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon date paste (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 5 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced

Instructions:

In a medium pot, heat 2-3 tablespoons water, and saute onion and garlic until tender. Add tomato puree, pumpkin puree, water, non-dairy milk, date paste, coconut aminos, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and sage leaves.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve over bean pasta.

Note: To make date paste, blend 1 cup pitted dates and 1/2 cup warm water in a high-powered blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Leftover date paste can be refrigerated and used to sweeten other recipes.

Per Serving: CALORIES 75, PROTEIN 2g, CARBOHYDRATES 18g, SUGARS 10g, TOTAL FAT 0.5g, SATURATED FAT 0.1g, SODIUM 69mg, FIBER 3.8g, BETA-CAROTENE 4474ug, VITAMIN C 11mg, CALCIUM 72mg, IRON 2.2mg, FOLATE 19ug, MAGNESIUM 36mg, POTASSIUM 489mg, ZINC 0.4mg, SELENIUM 1ug

Pumpkin Curry Soup

Christina Miller, M.D.

https://eatandlivehealthfully.com

Adapted from www.DrFuhrman.com

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

"In my mind, Fall is synonymous with pumpkins and squashes. I love these colorful, creamy soups, and adding some curry really spices it up. It's good without it, but if you like a little kick, give this recipe a try! It's super quick to make, seasonal, beautiful, and so delicious. I double the recipe, so we have enough for leftovers. Happy autumn!

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium to large onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1-1/2 cups or 1 can pre-cooked pumpkin
  • 1/4 cup cashews
  • 2-4 dates for sweetness
  • 5 ounces or 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped

Instructions:

Sauté onion and garlic with a few tablespoons of water until tender (5-10 minutes).

Add curry powder and dried parsley, and stir to coat.

Add vegetable broth and pumpkin, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Ladle into blender with cashews and dates, and blend until creamy. Return to soup pot. Alternatively, add dates and cashews to pot and use immersion blender to blend.

Add chopped kale, mix well, and remove from heat.

* Optional: garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Serve warm or cool. Enjoy!

Classic Pumpkin Pie with Cashew Cream

Christina Miller, M.D.

https://eatandlivehealthfully.com

Prep time: 30 minutes.

Cook time: 45 minutes.

Serves 8-10

"We love this pumpkin pie! I've been making it every year for the holidays, and it has fast become a favorite tradition. It uses simple ingredients, and it is truly pumpkin-y and perfect. Hope you enjoy this classic Thanksgiving staple as much as we do!

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

  • 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • 1/2 cup raw pecans
  • 1 teaspoon ground chia or flax seed
  • 1 cup dates, pitted
  • 2 teaspoons water

For the Pie Filling:

  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (plain pumpkin) or 1 pumpkin, roasted at 375°F for 1 hour, seeds removed, and pumpkin scooped out)
  • 1 cup dates, pitted
  • 4 ounces soft tofu (optional, to make pie creamier)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 1/3 cup nondairy milk, adjust as needed for consistency

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the Crust:

Combine the almonds, pecans, and chia or flax seeds in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Add the dates and water and process until it gathers into a ball. Press the mixture into an 8-inch pie pan. (It sticks less to an aluminum disposable pie pan; if using glass or ceramic, consider lightly spraying with cooking oil to prevent sticking.)

For the Filling:

In a blender, blend together pumpkin, dates, spices, tofu (if using), and arrowroot powder. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into pie shell. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes. Caution: Don't overcook; pie can dry out easily and crust can burn.

Let cool before serving, as pie filling will firm up when cool.

Enjoy topped with cashew cream.

No-Bake Pumpkin Cream Pie

Straight up Food, Cathy Fisher

https://www.straightupfood.com/blog/

Prep time: 3 hours. Total time: 3 hours

Serves 8-12

Ingredients:

Pie Filling:

  • 8 ounces pitted dates (10 to 12 Medjool or 20 to 24 Deglet Noor)
  • 8 ounces raw, unsalted cashews (about 2 cups)
  • 1 14-ounce can coconut milk (regular, not "lite"; see step 3)
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (home-cooked; see Notes)
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Pecan-Date Pie Crust:

  • 1¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2-1/2 ounces raw, unsalted pecans (about ½ cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2-1/2 ounces pitted dates (4 to 5 Medjool or 8 to 10 Deglet Noor)
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk

Instructions:

To start the pie filling, place the pitted dates and cashews into a bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

To ready the 1 cup of coconut milk, open the can and spoon the thicker portion into a 1 cup measuring cup, and then fill it until full with the less solid coconut milk.

Drain the water off of the dates and cashews, and discard. Place the dates and cashews into the food processor (or blender if you prefer; I'm already using the food processor for the crust, so will use it). Add the 1 cup of coconut milk from step 3, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and lemon juice. Blend until very smooth (1 to 2 minutes).

Scrape the filling into the pie crust, and smooth evenly. Place into the freezer for 3 to 4 hours until nice and firm.

Serve in slices straight from the freezer for a firmer, more ice-cream-like texture, or transfer to the fridge and cover until ready to serve; this will result in a softer, creamier filling. (The longer it sits out, the creamier it will be). See Notes below for topping ideas.

Notes:

Shape: You can also make this pie in a springform cheesecake pan (only pressing the crust into the bottom and a little up the sides). For individual servings, you can use small tart, dessert, or soufflé dishes, as well as a muffin tin with paper liners.

Sweetness: This is a pretty sweet pie, so if you like your desserts less sweet, feel free to use 2 to 4 fewer Medjool dates.

Homemade pumpkin puree: If you want to make your own pumpkin puree, Google how to do this, as after cooking you need to drain off any excess liquid.

Cutting the pie: For a cleaner cut on your pie, run your chef's knife under hot water until the blade is hot. Dry the blade then slice the pie.

Topping: Since this pie is so decadent already, I don't think it needs a topping. But you can add some chopped or grated nuts on top as a garnish.

Traveling: If you are making this ahead and taking it with you, I suggest keeping it in the freezer until you leave, and then once you arrive, place it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, take it out and slice it; eat it on the cool side, or let sit for 15 minutes to soften a bit.

Beany Pumpkin Spice Cookies

This recipe from www.DrFuhrman.com was submitted by Emily Boller, and was adapted by Tracy Childs. Emily Boiler learned about Dr. Fuhrman after being diagnosed as prediabetic and with heart disease. She had been overweight since childhood. She committed herself to losing weight, and chronicled her progress online and through her art work. She lost over 100 pounds, and has written a book, Starved to Obesity: My Journey Out Of Food Addiction and How You Can Escape It Too! Her website is:

http://www.emilyboller.com

Tracy Childs lives in San Diego. She makes and sells Vegan Guilt free goodies through Tracy's Real Foods. Her web site is called Veg-Appeal, and she ships Nationwide:

https://veg-appeal.com/pages/goodies

Serves 30

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cooked no-salt-added or low sodium white beans
  • 1/2 cup dates, pitted
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder or alcohol-free vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pureed pumpkin or squash
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup raisins, or 1/4 cup unsweetened grated coconut (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a high-powered blender, puree the beans, dates, non-dairy milk, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Place in a large bowl. Stir in the pumpkin, nuts, seeds, oats, and raisins (or coconut if using).

Scoop out using a tablespoon scoop, and place on a silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Slightly flatten using a fork's tines (like a peanut butter cookie-north/south, east/west.) Bake for 15-20 minutes, until bottom and sides are very lightly browned.

Makes about 30-35 cookies.

Note: If desired, before baking, make an indentation in the top of each cookie, and add a teaspoon of 100% all-fruit preserves.

Per Serving: CALORIES 73, PROTEIN 2g, CARBOHYDRATES 8g, SUGARS 2g, TOTAL FAT 4g, SATURATED FAT 0.4g, SODIUM 2mg, FIBER 2g, BETA-CAROTENE 986ug, VITAMIN C 1mg, CALCIUM 19mg, IRON 1.7mg, FOLATE 13ug, MAGNESIUM 20mg, POTASSIUM 109mg, ZINC 0.4mg, SELENIUM 1.6ug


***EVENT CALENDAR: October through November 2020

Compiled by Mike Keithley

Notes

A weekly SVCB Social Hour is scheduled for 4 PM every Wednesday afternoon until sheltering at home has ended.

  • Call in number: 408-638-0968
  • Meeting ID: 739825688
  • Passcode: 222638
  • When prompted for a participant code, press the Pound key.
  • Join Zoom Meeting us02web.zoom.us/j/739825688?pwd=bk85ZUVmZ3UxUjEzVHN5aG1NRWZjUT09
  • One tap mobile +14086380968,,739825688#,,,,,,0#,,222638#
  • Note that the above call-in information is used for SVCB's virtual membership meetings as well.

San Francisco LightHouse

To hear weekly events at the San Francisco LightHouse, call 415-694-7325.

Let's Talk Low Vision

The monthly "Let's Talk Low Vision" conferences from CCLVI for 2020 can be accessed as podcasts at http://ltlv.cclvi.org/2020-archives.

If you want to participate in these conferences, visit ltlv.cclvi.org.

Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors

Departs every Sunday at noon from Pier 40 in San Francisco. Call 415-281-0212 for information and reservations, or visit www.baads.org.

Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP)

BORP believes that everyone should have access to the unique challenges that outdoor recreation provides, and makes every effort to accommodate each person's needs, including providing transportation and volunteer support. For event listings, call Lori Gray at 510-843-4398, or visit www.borp.org.

Calendar

October: Employment of People with Disabilities Awareness Month.

October 6, 5:30 to 7 PM: Breast Cancer Support Group; call-in: 605-715-4920; ID: 2776167. For questions, call Lori Scharff at 516-887-1336, or email lorischarff@gmail.com.

October 15: White Cane Safety Day.

October 17, 10 AM: Virtual SVCB membership meeting. See notes.

October 20: Let's Talk Low Vision conference, AIRA, see notes.

October 23, noon: November SVCB newsletter deadline. Publish Fall membership list.

November 3: National, state and local elections.

November 5, 7 to 9 PM: SVCB board meeting; 800-662-6992, with ID 1184109. If you're not on the Board but wish to attend this meeting, contact Rob Turner.

November 10, 5:30 to 7 PM: Breast Cancer Support Group.

November 14: Let's talk Low Vision conference, Hadley 2.0, see notes.

November 21, 10 AM: 33rd anniversary SVCB meeting.

November 27, noon: December newsletter deadline.