Living large A Portland author says the whole-grain goodness of ‘going macro’ is all about balance

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Madonna’s doing it. So is Gwyneth.

But Jessica Porter of Portland wrote the book on it – and no, it has nothing to do with the cabala.

It has to do with brown rice and miso. Yin and yang. Expansion and contraction. Balance. And a lack of dairy products. Porter’s sassy new book, “The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics,” (Avery, $16.95) aims to rid the diet-lifestyle philosophy of its hippie stereotype and introduce a new generation of health-conscious eaters to “going macro.”

“By eating whole foods in a balanced way, we’re feeding our humanity, not just our bodies, but our brains, our nervous system, our gifts, our skills,” Porter said during a recent interview in her Portland office. “We let ourselves reach our potential.”

Porter, 37, has been striving for her potential for the last 15 years, since she began the shift toward macrobiotic living. Her travels as a macrobiotic chef – and a visit with friends – brought her to Portland in 1999, and she now works as a cooking instructor, hypnotherapist and weekly radio show host. She is a tall, willowy woman with reddish-blond hair and skin flawless enough to sell any “chick” on the benefits of barley and umeboshi plums.

It’s hard to believe that in her 20s, the Toronto native was 50 pounds overweight, grumpy, and a frequent McDonald’s customer.

“At 22, I had eaten a lot of crap,” Porter said, laughing.

And her emotional life wasn’t exactly a bed of roses, either. After graduating from Brown University in Providence, she was accepted into New York University’s elite graduate theater program. During her first year at NYU, she “was going through a very big and intense period” in her life, and she made the tough decision to leave school.

“It suddenly occurred to me that playing a leading role in my own life would be more interesting than playing someone else’s alcoholic sister,” she said. “The drama of being alive was more compelling to me than playing someone else.”

Macrobiotics, with its focus on balance, became a big part of that. In the introduction to her book, Porter explains, “More than a diet, macrobiotics is a philosophy. ‘Macro’ means large and ‘bio’ means life. It’s the act of creating a big life.” It’s a spiritual – but not religious – approach to eating.

The standard macrobiotic diet is heavy on whole grains, beans, sea and land vegetables; light on fish, fruit, herbs and spices; and absent of refined sugars, processed foods, dairy products, meat and eggs. It lies in direct contrast to the standard American diet, which is heavy on meat, potatoes and processed foods, light on whole foods, and entirely lacking in sea vegetables.

While some consider macrobiotics restrictive and extreme, Porter stresses that it doesn’t have to be. It took her two years to go “whole hog,” and many people could benefit from simply adding a cup of brown rice to their diet.

“Even now, I had pizza yesterday,” said Porter, who has studied with Kushi at his institute in western Massachusetts. “It’s never perfect.”

And it’s never all or nothing.

Porter used to beat herself up about eating junk food, but she got over it. After 15 years, she’s lost her appetite for many of her former vices, but she still goes out to eat and she still has potluck dinners with friends. Now, she’s just more aware of what she eats. She can tell when there’s sugar in a dish, and she immediately puts her fork down, because she knows if she eats it, she’ll feel sludgy for days afterward.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Porter said. “I really love a tasty macrobiotic meal and I certainly eat out of sensory reasons often, but I’m also really sensitive to how certain foods make me feel.”

It’s that part of the equation that often gets left out of articles and blurbs on macrobiotics. Since Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Boy George have extolled the virtues of macrobiotics, the philosophy often gets mentioned – but not explained – in magazines. So the misconception persists that it’s a rigid Japanese diet. That’s why Porter decided to write a book.

“They were creating a curiosity,” Porter said. “I mean, look at what Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow did to yoga. It’s very popular. Frankly, I would love for the concept of macrobiotics … to enter into the collective consciousness in some way that is close to the truth.”

With Porter’s smart, funny “Hip Chick’s Guide,” (which, despite the title, also is a great read for hip guys), macrobiotics could become a household word. Even for people who don’t envision a future filled with brown rice.

“It’s worth reading even if you don’t plan to change your food,” she said. “If you’re actively trying to connect with the infinite universe, that’s the essence of health, that’s the essence of freedom. What you eat is secondary to that.”

Kristen Andresen can be reached at 990-8287 and kandresen@bangordailynews.net.

Crispy Rice Treats

Serves 8.

1 cup brown rice syrup

2/3 cup peanut, almond, cashew or hazelnut butter

dash vanilla extract (optional)

3 cups crispy brown rice cereal

cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, roasted almonds, peanuts or cashews, to taste (optional)

Over a medium flame, heat brown rice syrup, peanut butter, vinegar and vanilla, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth, thinned out and bubbling a little. Pour cereal and other ingredients, if desired, into mixing bowl. Add rice syrup mixture to it and blend well with a wooden spoon. Pour into an oiled pan and flatten with a wet spatula. Let cool. Slice and serve.

Cook’s note: Brown rice syrup and umeboshi vinegar are available at the Natural Living Center in Bangor. For information, call 990-2646.

Elegant Orange Couscous

Porter writes, “It is perfect for warm, summer weather or just as a totally glam accompaniment to fish.”

Serves 4.

1 cup whole-wheat couscous

1/2 cup spring water

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup light olive oil

4 1/2 teaspoons umeboshi vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

6 dried apricots, sliced thinly (about 1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons dried currants

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1/4 medium-size red onion, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)

3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Measure couscous and put it in a medium-sized bowl. In a pot, combine water, orange juice, oil, 4 teaspoons of the vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil and add the dried fruit and ginger. Let simmer for about 1 minute. After a quick stir, pour this liquid mixture over the dry couscous. Stir to eliminate any pockets of dry couscous. Cover the concoction with a plate or plastic wrap to hold in the heat. The couscous will cook by itself in about 20 minutes.

In a smaller pot, bring about a cup of water to a boil and drop in the sliced red onion. Let boil for 20 seconds. Take the onion out with a slotted spoon or mesh strainer and set aside.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of the umeboshi vinegar to the onion and mix to bring out its red color. When the couscous is cooked, fluff it with a fork, then add the onion and pine nuts. Serve.