A Fruity Endeavor

Happy 2012!

2012-01-27T19:12:00.000-06:00

I’ve been eating lots of wonderful meals, but my photossomehow haven’t been capturing their awesomeness. C’est la vie! ♥ Some recipes without photos & some photos without recipes:

Watermelon Slushy

1 lb watermelon blended with ice

Pesto

2 zucchini~1 pint grape toms~2.5 oz arugula~1 oz almonds (or freshcorn)

Soup

baby spinach~grape tomatoes~fresh rosemary~cilantro~red bellpepper~fresh chives

Banana Blush Smoothie II

bananas~raspberries~cinnamon

Banana Blush Smoothie III

bananas~raspberries~celery

Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

bananas~frozen cherries~raw carob powder

Raspberry (or Blueberry) Pudding

25 small dates~2 pints raspberries (or blueberries)

pesto over zucchini, arugula, & grape tomatoes

watermelon slushy

banana blush smoothie 3

papaya with blueberry-papaya sauce & romaine

green smoothie

And now a deliciously succulent poem!

Goblin Market
by Christina Rossetti

Morning and evening

Maids heard the goblins cry:

"Come buy our orchard fruits,

Come buy, come buy:

Apples and quinces,

Lemons and oranges,

Plump unpecked cherries,

Melons and raspberries,

Bloom-down-cheeked peaches,

Swart-headed mulberries,

Wild free-born cranberries,

Crab-apples, dewberries,

Pine-apples, blackberries,

Apricots, strawberries;—

All ripe together

In summer weather,—

Morns that pass by,

Fair eves that fly;

Come buy, come buy;

Our grapes fresh from the vine,

Pomegranates full and fine,

Dates and sharp bullaces,

Rare pears and greengages,

Damsons and bilberries,

Taste them and try:

Currants and gooseberries,

Bright-fire-like barberries,

Figs to fill your mouth,

Citrons from the South,

Sweet to tongue and sound to eye,

Come buy, come buy."

Read the rest of its gloriousness here.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T10:39:00.000-06:00

Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!

Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.

~ Henry David Thoreau

The dust is settling at last for us here in Florida. It's been chaotic for seven months, but we've had glorious weather for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and made the most of both. Long walks in general soothe most anything; long walks in nature and in warm weather equals bliss. :)

St. Pete's, Thanksgiving 2011

Sun setting on 2011...

Christmas 2011: Enjoyed so much I forgot to take pictures. :D

Welcome 2012!!!

♥ Happy Thanksgiving ♥

2011-11-24T10:15:00.006-06:00

Four months and 1,200 miles since my last post! A lot has happened...

We said goodbye to Chicago, Lake Michigan, the Air & Water Show, and summer & autumn in Lincoln Park...

And hello to Florida palm trees, new views, full moons, and more fruit...

(Rental car plates :)

Moon at dawn.

Largest bell pepper I've ever seen (in Chicago still!).

Raw Oatmeal: Bananas, Apples, Dates/Raisins

Persimmon + Banana Pudding

Banana Blush Smoothie (with Raspberries)

Clementines & Persimmons

Strange-looking but yummy: Frosting/Dip made with avocado, banana, and dates.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

~ ~ ~

I was warmed by the sun, rocked by the winds and sheltered by the trees as other Indian babes. . . . I can go everywhere with a good feeling. ~Geronimo

Summer in Chicago

2011-07-23T12:11:00.000-05:00

Happy Summer, Everyone!

A few months ago, I got the decluttering bug and started happily hauling piles of things off to Goodwill. So much stuff was able to go that it prompted me to consider how I might be able to retire a few years earlier with my honey if I would just stop buying doodads I don’t actually need and books I don’t want to read. ;-) Now that we have lightened our load considerably, I’m feeling almost giddy-happy. It feels like freedom.

My husband and I are a little outside the norm with our choices: while many of our friends and colleagues were living in the city, we bought a suburban home with a yard. By the time they moved to the suburbs to purchase their first homes, we decided we wanted to feel a little more carefree and moved into a townhome. When they began their families, we decided we would likely forgo a traditional one and moved into an urban high-rise condo overlooking the lake and park with our two kitties and bunny.

If I had told my 13-year-old self what life had in store for her, she likely would have been thrilled, amazed, nervous, and excited. But part of the fun in life has been not knowing exactly where I’m headed, especially when I think I have it all figured out. Sometimes life is harder than expected and sometimes it’s sweeter. Sometimes surprises aren’t a bad thing, even (especially?) for this consummate planner.

One of my favorite quotes is by Anthony J. D'Angelo: “Wherever you go, no matter the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” And after nearly 40 years in Chicagoland, that’s about to get a lot easier: we’re moving to Florida. J

Florida Hotel Palms. :-)

Primarily making the trek for my husband’s work (mine can travel with me since I freelance), we found out about the possibility two months ago. It’s been a total whirlwind since then! This morning is the first break I’ve had in weeks. It’s been almost-frantic at times, but we’re still having fun.

To prepare, the pets headed to the vet for their annual checkups this week and my sweet boy cat (alias Bubsy) has slimmed down. Their cute vet treated this as if it was miraculous. Which I guess it is, considering my own penchant for eating through stress (and other strong emotions ~ even joy!), and thereby moving away from slimness.

Our girl cat (alias Wils) is also stable and doing great, even after being diagnosed with beginning kidney disease a few years ago. This is wonderful news, both for us and for the cats themselves: they are each other’s best friends.

The Bunny (alias Tinkertot) is spunky as ever and at bunny daycare (her home away from home during the moving hubbub). She's surrounded by other bunnies and hopping in and out of a hay box several times bigger than she is. If she were an actress (and she is officially named after a famous one), Tinks would be performing as "a frolicking bunny in the meadow."

Cold-weather snuggle.

Tinks looking pensive.

My husband missed his late-season triathlon last year due to a broken wrist and spent all of this year training hard. Before our packing began in earnest, he had a terrific opening-season triathlon race. I love that he works out so hard because a) he’s so sexy ;) and b) it keeps me motivated and brave to do some kind of exercise regularly. He’s been doing these for more than a decade now.

Me? I’ve been keeping all of us (and several others) really organized so that the move will go smoothly. J That accomplished, my desire to downsize and live with less stuff vying for my attention makes all the more sense to me now. I can choose to spend more time on health and fun more effortlessly. Staying on a healthy-habit path isn’t easy. But I know I will get where I want to be (because I will just keep trying). ;-)

Me about two weeks before we decided to move::

I’ll post more as soon as we’re all settled: we’re transitioning in waves so it will probably be a while again!

And before I go, a few fruity summer recipes (and one salad, especially for my gorgeous sister). J

The Cantaloupian. {Cantaloupe blended with ice.}

Very Berry Smoothie. {{See below!}}

Happy Fourth, America! {{Very Berry Smoothie ingredients.}}

Summer Salad. {{Pineapple, tomato, bok choy & ten chopped macadamias.}}

♥♥♥

Updates & Raw Fruity Vegan Meals

2011-04-15T19:51:00.001-05:00

When I begin eating fresh raw fruits and veggies I often feel like my best self. Then detoxing kicks in. :-)

Usually by week three or four I’m stuffy, blemishy, hungry-yet-nauseous, tired, and generally feeling (and looking) worn out. At this point I usually have some reservations and wonder if I’m eating too much/eating too little, sleeping too much/sleeping too little, eating the wrong foods, and so on… But the malaise always passes within a few days or a week, and has proven not to be the result of scallions in my raw chunky chili (see link & picture below), or from pomegranate seeds (during Detox 1.0) after all. While I don’t find these two foods super-easy to digest, I don’t normally react to them with the symptoms listed above, another sign that I’m heading into detox when they appear. And so they have and so I am.

How do I know it’s a detox cleansing and not just a cold or needing more calories? Well, it’s not always clear-cut for me, but there’s my weight, for starters. I was losing steadily but have now gained just a little bit, even though my appetite has decreased for the last two days and I’ve been eating less. This often happens when my body does some housecleaning other than weight loss. It’s like, “Hold your horses, we have more important things to attend to right now!” (Or so I imagine my body saying if it were to explain such a thing in words. Instead it just throws a sprinkle of teenage-era acne across my forehead.) Also, underneath all the symptoms, I still feel healthy and can go about my regular life for the most part, whereas when I get sick with a bug, it is pretty incapacitating and I lie in bed all day until I’m well. (And on a high-raw-mostly-vegan diet for more than two years, this doesn’t really happen anymore.) Another sign: my cravings are not for food I normally eat but for super-processed junk foods that I haven’t had in years. Cheez-its, for example (which I didn’t even like as a kid), or Cool Ranch Doritos (which I loved).

What to do? It’s unexciting but simple: sleep more, drink more water, eat simple, delicious monomeals if possible (luckily, our ataulfos are ripening beautifully), and hide, er, hibernate, as needed. So off I go to rest up, but not without including a reminder about how great I feel when eating lfrv/811rv and why I want to do it more consistently, a tough-love quote to remind myself how I get/got into this predicament in the first place, and some low-fat raw fruity vegan recipes!

A few days ago (pre-detox) I was feeling physically/mentally/emotionally light, less bogged down, and more resilient and buoyant. These are some of my favorite results! My goal is to stay the raw course, because a) if I strung together all of the days I’ve eaten healthfully over the past few years, they might equal a year or more and yet because I’ve been so spotty, I don’t get the full force of the benefits—and the benefits are self-reinforcing; and b) once I start nibbling cooked foods, I convince myself (somehow) that they give me the same results as lfrv foods. But the truth is, I feel unwell when I eat cooked starches. The first half hour after is fine, but then I feel heavy and like I need to eat something sweet and "energizing" (i.e., chocolate). And then I eat more and more until my skin doesn’t glow, my digestion starts to slow down, I get stuffy again, and I start gaining weight. As for cooked veggies, their cooked texture often seems slimy to me and I’d usually rather eat them raw nowadays. In fact, I ate organic cooked acorn squash months ago and had a flashback to being given the same food out of a jar as a tyke (and did not enjoy it either time!). Also, I could barely stay awake after eating it.

I just keep waiting for my body to give me a different response, and it just keeps giving me the truth. ;-)

Most of us are suffering diseases of excess, not deficiencies.

Ruth Heidrich

Strawberry-Filled Brownie Bites

Zucchini Dip

I need to give someone credit for this recipe but I've forgotten who created it (and what went in it!). I think it's half an avocado and two zucchinis blended with lemon juice.

Raw Chunky Tomato Chili

Carob Brownie Bites

From Megan Elizabeth's Easy to Be Raw Desserts eBook. (I couldn't resist posting once more with a

new picture).

Plain Papaya

This papaya had a mold spot on the skin and we thought it was a goner, but in fact, it was the best papaya we've ever eaten. Now we know: the skin should be mostly yellow and then the taste will be like brown sugar ~ fabulous!

Mango & Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

This dressing looks kind of gross and gloopy here, but it was so tasty. One mango + a handful of soaked sun-dried tomatoes blended with a little water. I served it over a huge bowl of kale, but any lettuce would benefit from it ~ or it would make a really yummy fat-free veggie dip.

Happy Weekend & Happy Spring!

♥♥♥

2011-03-24T17:15:00.001-05:00

My sweet paternal grandma died rather suddenly a little over a week ago. She was 86 and in our last conversation we chatted about her happiness to be back home after her long recent stay in a nursing home to mend a broken ankle. She had worked hard at recuperating and did so, or just enough to spread a little more love a little longer.

She was small but physically strong and spent much of her life caring for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, as well as for her ailing mother and husband in their final years. She also worked hard as a cook in one of the best restaurants in our hometown for many years. My sister and I realized this week that we have the same visual memory of our grandmother from when we were children: She was so pretty and confident, with her dark hair cropped short, a hint of red lipstick, and, always, small gold-hoop earrings—whether dressed in an immaculate white work uniform, in a lovely blouse and slacks for church, or more casually (though equally tidily) for a day of being at home relaxing on a rare day off.

She picked us up from school countless times, having learned to drive in her late 50s after my grandfather died. She drove an enormous harvest gold Oldsmobile sedan, which most of us took to calling “the boat.” While Grandma may have squashed a downspout on the corner of her house (gigantic car, teeny L-shaped driveway), the Oldsmobile never betrayed a scratch on its gleaming chrome bumpers. :-)

In her later years, she was an independent working woman with a well-kept home and plentiful and rewarding relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. She had developed a great fondness for reading and enjoyed watching a few treasured “soaps” on tv. As the years passed, she added crocheting to her hobbies and created luxurious blankets for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was surrounded by family, including playful young children. She often cooked for them and they gave her much companionship, which more recently included watching Dancing with the Stars together and reading the Twilight series with several great-granddaughters.

Mary had a wonderful voice and laugh, distinct and strong. I don’t think I’ve ever known another person less likely to talk about others harshly (perhaps other than my husband, which may be one reason why she liked him so much ;-). Grandma ended more than a few of our conversations with, “Take care of your hubby,” or “Give your hubby my love.”

Always tender, never saccharine, she made everyone in her life feel special. I hope to live a life as rich in love as hers. ♥

Life Is Just ... A Bowl of Raspberries ♥

2011-02-27T18:50:00.000-06:00

I’ve been trying out a few cooked vegan (low-fat, low-salt) foods again, and while these can be an excellent choice for when I feel like I will otherwise perish without noshing on something cooked (and thus go to town with something I’ll really regret), I notice that I crave sugar all the time eating this way. J

After several years of experimenting, I’ve learned that my body seems to love fresh, raw fruits and greens and the occasional avocado or very small handful of nuts; can work well with herbs and some spices; puts up with small amounts of plain-cooked rice, corn, and vegetables; and generally regards everything else as icky and worthy of immediate expulsion, often leaving me with a trail of headaches, breakouts, and other less-than-ideal results. Good to know! ;-)

On the fruity front, I just can’t get enough raspberries and dates this winter! It’s total amor! Here are some of the ways I’ve been eating these sweet treats:

Raspberry Love. Simple is sometimes best.

Just-bananas (plus a little water and ice) smoothie and a bowl of raspberries for breakfast.

The Date People's dates! Ooey. Gooey. Heavenly.

My new favorites (hiding in the back): Black Plums. Divine.

Raspberry Jam & Cucumber Slices: We were really hungry, so this presentation isn't what it could be, but these are so tasty it's lucky there were any left before I took a photo. Hubs added the dates on top; I prefer them with just the cukes and jam (one pint of raspberries blended with a handful of dates). ;-)

Raw Brownies: No nuts, no cocoa! Mighty delicious! (Based on Megan Elizabeth's "Carob Brownie Bites" in her amazing and beautiful recipe ebook Easy to Be Raw Desserts. I substituted raspberries for the optional nuts.)

Apples & Dates Applesauce: Based on Megan Elizabeth's applesauce variation in her "Cinnamon Caramel Dip with Apples" recipe from her Easy to Be Raw recipe book. I also made the Caramel Dip and it tasted exactly like pumpkin-pie filling. I was astonished and delighted and soon after was scraping the bowl with my apple slices. ;-)

And in the veggie department, a shout-out to Kathleen for her wonderful Stuffed Tomatoes with Spanish Rice Recipe. I've made it (with bell peppers) twice already and plan to make it again this week. :) Yum!!!

I’ve also been reading a couple of ebooks that really hammer in the significance (health benefits) of eating low-fat:

Ruth Heidrich, Ph.D. ~ Senior Fitness: The Diet and Exercise Program for Maximum Health and Longevity. Dr. Heidrich is so inspirational. I spent much of the week after reading this book quoting bits to my husband (“Dr. Ruth says ... !” ;-) She is so smart, so honest, and so well-researched. And her story is a knockout. Well worth a read, no matter one’s age!

Mike Anderson ~ The RAVE Diet & Lifestyle: The Natural Foods Diet with Meals that Heal. More inspiration for eating low-fat, high- or all-raw, cutting the salt, and getting in lots of exercise. Great recipe ideas, to boot.

Wishing you happy & healthy end-of-winter days!

Chicago Blizzard, 2011 ~ Welcome New Year!

2011-02-02T19:00:00.000-06:00

"Then come the wild weather, come sleet or come snow, we will stand by each other, however it blow."

~ Simon Dach

Twenty-four hours. Seventy-mile-per-hour winds. Twenty-plus inches of snow. Freezing temps (and dropping). Scores of salt trucks, tow trucks, firetrucks, plows, and police cars driven in twelve-hour shifts by snow angels working to help the passengers of jackknifed buses and stalled or stuck commuters.

The children are sledding now, but as the dark comes, the snow stars are still busy clearing the streets.

Amazingly, the sun has set with one of the most spectacular shows of the year so far.

Feeling lucky and blessed to have had a "snow day" today with my sweetheart and to live in one of my favorite cities in the world.

Thank you to all of the men and women whose careers mean time away from their families and homes in the service of others. Wishing you all warmth, peace, and rest...soon. ♥

Just Getting Started

2011-01-17T19:03:00.002-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about what taking care of myself and living healthfully means. What are my goals, dreams, plans, and secret wishes? I'm finding no real surprises within myself, but that my aspirations do require patience, persistence, and hope.

It's been said that many of our bodies' cells regenerate every seven to ten years. Imagining how several years of eating mostly whole, fresh, ripe, raw, and organic fruits and veggies will affect a large portion of my cells is exciting! It may not transform me into an 18-year-old again, nor a Hollywood starlet, but I've earned my wrinkles and am not (that) concerned to see new ones; rather, I expect I'll be feeling great ~ on the inside. Plus, with added attention to fitness, I expect I'll be in better shape at 40 than I was at 21. Happy & healthy. That is a sweetly satisfying return on investing in myself. :)

I kick-started my preferred healthy lifestyle anew (sort of "80/10/10-or-bust") on January 1, have stuck with my goals for the most part, and am already noticing positive changes. I think it's important to focus on the positive because the positive is the reason I'm doing this! Mainly I'm feeling lighter, clearer, calmer. I'm less tired and more alert. My skin is smoothing out and getting healthier, and my digestion is getting better and better.

That said, the first couple of weeks have also been trying. Clearing out "old business" is less fun than I remember! And a rather grey January has been adding to the "challenge factor," as my husband likes to call/upsell my complaints. :) Thus, I've posted an inspiration list for myself for when times get rough and am offering more apologies to my sweetheart for those same times. (Change your life and it casts all sorts of ripples!)

I've also been doing a fair amount of reading lately and, in no particular order, here are some of my recent favorites:

Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills by Russell L. Blaylock

Cool tidbit: "...The brain consumes enormous amounts of glucose all the time, even when you are in a deep sleep. In fact, the average three pound brain consumes about 25% of all the blood's glucose. Unlike other parts of the body which can use other substances such as fats and amino acids, the nervous system is dependent on glucose for its energy."

Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less Are the Keys to Sustainability by David Owen

"The sprawl-generated decline in walking may have consequences for health as well as for energy consumption. The life expectancy of a New York City resident is nine months longer than that of the average American, and daily walking may be part of the reason."

I haven't been this riveted by a book in a long time. Side note: we made two trips to NYC this last year during which I noticed that Manhattanites in general seem thinner than folks in my neck of the urbs; I imagine that walking more--likely by necessity, which is one of the author's observed ingredients for beneficial-to-the-environment behavior--is one of the main reasons.

I've also been catching up on Leo Babauta's blog, mnmlist. Such spare, thoughtful, lovely writing.

"Perfect is who you are, not who someone else says you should be." Leo Babauta

Lastly, I've been enjoying some new recipes: I added a little curry powder and lime juice to some zucchini "vermicelli" with chopped red pepper, mushrooms, celery, chives, and carrots. Very tasty, and helpful as I transition into eating more simply.

I'm also experimenting with adding a hint of tarragon (it has a mild licorice flavor) in some of my dressings, and am loving this herb. Very fresh!

Happy 2011!!

Here I Am :)

2010-12-05T11:40:00.000-06:00

So, it’s been a while. I have been: working, sleeping, eating, laughing, reading, push-upping, walking, watching dogs leaping in the snow, raising the heat, catching snowflakes in my hair, Christmas window-shopping on the internet, snuggling with my family (one silky smooth, two with silky fur, and one with the coat of a teddy bear), celebrating all that we have to be thankful for with more family (my dad and sis and her beloveds), turning 37, dreaming about the future, and otherwise living my life.

I’ve also been pondering perfection versus my personal best. When I look back, I can see that when I try, try, try for perfection for myself or to impress it on others, I feel miserable, whereas when I go for my best as often as possible, without making personal attacks on myself or others, I feel: Joyful. Confident. Happy.

And then perfection starts to seem illusory. What if everything is already all good? Delicious, even? I want to be a part of this delectableness! We’re at home in a stunningly beautiful playground that is spinning through the universe(s) like a cosmic whirligig. We travel with chestnuts and clouds and mangoes and smiles and mystery novels and mountains and laughter and sunshine and airflight. And crows, cheetahs, Kindles, ginkgos, diplomacy, ballet, cherries, skyscrapers, log cabins, and the senses to enjoy it all. And friends, family, lovers, and companions to share it with. I could go on. :)

As for foodstuffs, progress is being made. A month LFRV, a few days off. Then back on again. I’ve noticed that the more I eat mostly what feels good (after the chowing), the happier my body is. So even when I detour, if I come back quickly, my body gets back on track with its multitude of health goals. Which keeps me inspired and more motivated to go for my personal best. My skin is beginning to heal (things that concerned me are gradually disappearing), which has been somewhat unexpected precisely because I do not “eat perfectly.” Yet, here I am, healing. By truly believing that I deserve health and happiness, and that I AM health and happiness, I go for those behaviors that encourage me to be...healthier and happier! ;-) Which is not to say that it isn’t a challenge! But it’s a challenge I want. ♥

Thank you for sharing in this journey with me, my friends. Wishing you all a Joyous, Healthy, & Abundant 2011!!!

End-of-Summer Goodness

2010-10-03T11:43:00.001-05:00

Peaches and Mangoes

Figgy Pudding and Cucumbers

Banana "Milk" and Blackberries

Zucchini Fettuccine with Pesto

Butter Lettuce with Kiwi, Beets, Blackberries, and Chives

♥♥♥

"There are an estimated 240,000 to 500,000 different plant species that bear fruits. Perhaps 70,000 to 80,000 of these species are edible; most of our food comes from only twenty crops." ~ Adam Leith Gollner, The Fruit Hunters * **

* Wonderful book! it's a terrifically fun, fruit-saturated romp.

** Next on my list of must-tries: peanut-butter fruit. Maybe I can eat it with chocolate sapote. :-)

Back in the Saddle

2010-09-18T15:14:00.012-05:00

♥♥♥

On the food front, I have been woefully off my favorite wagon, but am back on board and feeling amazing. It is interesting to me that I use the word "amazing" so often when I describe how I feel on a low-fat, high-fruit, raw vegan (80/10/10 style) plan. But it's true. Life is good. :-)

So, my sweetie is in now in Bangalore, India. His trip started in the Philippines, and one evening he and a colleague had a late-night snack. Below is a picture that he sent me from the occasion: watermelon, mango, pineapple, dragon fruit, kiwi, and orange slices. Isn't it lovely? We were chatting on the phone when he emailed the image to me and I told him how proud I was that he was eating fruit for his snack. I was even a little choked up. But then he got bashful and admitted that the fruit plate was his colleague's snack. His was chocolate cake (no photo! ;-). (Still, he's forgoing ALL french fries for fruit plates.) ♥

A few recipes I've enjoyed of late:

Strawberry Shake: 1 lb strawberries blended with water and 5 medjool dates. Serve on the rocks.

Scrumptious Figgy Pudding: 22-25 small figs and 2-3 medjools blended with a little water. Serve with English cucumber "chips."

Pesto Linguini: • 5 oz fresh arugula • Pinch garlic powder • 2 oz pine nuts • Juice of 2 small limes. Serve over fettuccine-style zucchini (peeled with a potato peeler).

Be well! Be fruity!

The power that makes grass grow, fruit open,

and guides the bird in flight is in us all.

~ Anzia Yezierska

Finding the Sweet Spot

2010-08-01T17:33:00.001-05:00

Still on the same fruity mission. :-) Putting it all together, for myself. Feeling like I have everything I need to take care of myself and thrive. Feeling happy. Having goals. Going after them in ways that work best for me.

Athletically speaking, I can now do 20 full push-ups in a row, sometimes fast. ;-) Upcoming: 5K in the fall.

We've had a beautiful, busy summer. Lots of work and lots of fun.

My advice to myself these days: Take one thing at a time and your heart's true desire will gently reveal itself to you. (And you'll be happier.)

XOXO

Some Pics of Summer Sweetness

My Honey's First Triathlon of the Season: Warming Up

One of Hubby's Fave Summer Dinners: Medjools & Strawberries

My New Favorite Apple: New Zealand Jazz!

My Favorite Toy as an Adult (Nerd Alert!)

(That is not me in the picture,

but someone else ♥s the Kindle 2, too.)

Several of the Reasons We Love Living in Chicago

♥♥♥

We all have our own life to pursue, Our own kind of dream to be weaving. And we all have the power to make wishes come true, As long as we keep believing. ~Louisa May Alcott

Getting My Glow Back...

2010-06-16T19:40:00.000-05:00

...is my goal. I've been experimenting with eating some cooked veggies (potatoes, namely), and while it has helped me with some cravings, it's created others. I notice how at the end of my meals I now want dessert. And that never happens when I'm eating primarily fruit and greens, raw. I want sugar, not starch from my carbs. Starch is for laundry! :-) Also, no glow. I want to glow, so! My choice is clear. As it happens, I also have the following results that aren't bad (they're FaBuLoUs!) when I'm eating all-raw and low-fat:

digestion (vastly improved at all stages)
skin (clear and smooth)
eyes (clear and bright; better vision)
moods are more even-keeled (so sayeth hubby)
colds/flu ~ maybe 1x a year now
allergies (none to speak of)

If these results came in a pill, people would stand in line for miles for it! (Well, I would. :)*

My other insight of late: it's just food! No matter what (and lucky for me), eating is just one aspect of my life. Important? Yes. All-consuming? Not if I can help it! No more brain space for things that are not.in.this.moment. (Well, a girl can dream, right? It's another goal. Along with not complaining. Although that one might rank near marathoning in challenges for me, so...baby steps!)

And now, some photos of recent meals, a/k/a raw-food porn, for inspiration:

Mangoes & Raspberries, tralala!

Cherry Banana Sorbet! Frozen fruit, blended.**

Herby Salad: Mixed Baby Greens, Zucchini, Chives, Dill, & Lemon Juice

Winter Marinara (Somehow when I needed this hearty sauce last winter, it eluded me. Now that it's summer: voila! One Handful of Thoroughly Soaked Sun-Dried Tomatoes Blended with One Red Bell Pepper. *** Add Fresh Basil and Chives as Desired. Serve on Portobellos and Sliced Eggplant and place in dehydrator long enough to take the chill off (30 minutes or so). (Having room-temp ingredients would also help. ;-)

Blueberry Cucumber Salad: Fresh Sweet Corn, Portobellos, Okra, Chives, Pickling Cukes + Blended Blueberries for Dressing.

Baby Cucumber Salad: Fresh Sweet Corn, Pickling Cukes, & Chives

* Thank you to my Aunt, who asked me some questions about what I eat and why, and inspired this post and my renewed appreciation for eating this way.

** You'll want to use a high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix for this recipe, or a food processor. Some folks also have great luck using juicers such as the Champion to create a soft-serve consistency. Yum!
*** High-speed blender recommended for this recipe, too.

♦ Taking My Time ♦

2010-05-28T14:35:00.002-05:00

Bellagio, Las Vegas, 2010

This is the speed I sometimes feel I'm going at regarding eating 100 percent raw foods, but ... I'm enjoying myself! I also like associating my snail moves with the beauty of roses. :-)

My memory also reminds me I learn best with saturation and practice. For example, when I was 8 or so, I taught myself to roller skate by wearing just one skate at first, circling the smooth cement of our garage over and over until I was comfortable. Eventually I put both skates on and practiced until I was almost as steady on skates as I was in my Nikes. I added in figure eights and worked on going backward (which felt odder than expected, but I persevered!). Then I hit the rough terrain of sidewalks and our sloping driveway. The green grass was nearby to catch me, but I recall mostly wobbling and few, if any, falls. It seemed miraculous. Learning is like that for me sometimes. I just have to go at my own pace. :)

In my garden food feasting of late, I've been partaking of:

Berry Smoothies (We call this flavor Blaspberry)

Green Salads (Baby Spinach, Celery, Grapes, Baby Arugula, Chives)

Mango Salads (Baby Greens, Ataulfo Mangoes, Campari Tomatoes, Chives)

and Beet Salads (Beets, Kale, Baby Spinach, Baby Greens, Blueberry-Beet dressing)

It's been delicious!

Wishing You Sunshine and Peace

And much Love (& Cherimoyas)!

A Beautiful Blog

2010-05-17T15:10:00.002-05:00

Rawfully Full, written by an amazingly lovely young woman, Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram, is deeply heartfelt, gently thought-provoking, and extraordinarily inspiring. Highly recommended reading. ♥

"Sometimes, we feel as if others will have the solution for us, when in reality, we hold the solutions to our own lives. The choice is ours. I used to think that there was a perfect way to do everything, until I realized that life is perfect no matter what. I realized that no matter what I am doing, I am doing it because I truly love it." This brilliant post is titled Live to Share.

Enjoy!

To My Sweetheart ♥

2010-05-15T07:36:00.003-05:00

♥ Life with you is an everlasting honeymoon. ♥

A Hard Good-Bye

2010-04-22T16:20:00.012-05:00

My grandmother on my mom's side, one of the sharpest and strongest women I've known, a woman who perfectly embodied the phrase "tough cookie" to my way of seeing (she was both firm and sweet) passed away this week, after a short time in the hospital brought about by her suffering a massive stroke. She was 85 and in some of our last discussions we talked about her stock portfolio in general (which she found dismal) and documenting her family tree in specifics (which she found thrilling). Her husband and a daughter (my mother) preceded her in death, and she handled these losses with more grace than I could comprehend at the time.

I was able to spend precious time with her last week. I held her hands (which I knew almost as well as my own and which seemed to be intent on comforting me), kissed her cheek, stroked her hair, and was reminded of our history together, rich with laughter and understanding even amid a few indescribably sad times. I've had a movie of these memories playing in my head these last few days, and some delicious stories were added to it by family members. Usually boisterous together, they honored a proud woman with amazing tenderness and gentle humor. Once again, they made me stronger than I thought I could be.

It has been more difficult to let go than I expected, and perhaps that is the nature of love. It hurts to lose it, but we never, ever regret it. I am eternally grateful for having had this larger-than-life, passionate, and instructive woman in my life for as long as I did. Even in the end, she taught me so much. Love you, Grandma. ♥

Progress Quartet

2010-04-14T22:34:00.001-05:00

I 30 Days. It's getting somewhat easier to move forward more consistently. All those roadbumps have been teaching me after all. :-)

II Green Smoothies. I haven't had these in at least a year, but I recently read that they help some people with cravings, so I gave them another whirl. I love the sweet stuff, but tempered with greens my smoothies have been making me somehow more satisfied lately. I've made Banana-OJ-Romaine (pictured), Banana-Mango-Romaine, and Banana-OJ-Baby Spinach. All delicious!

III ~~Pizza~~. Last night our condo hosted a local pizzeria in our lobby and look what made its way to our kitchen:

I took a few deep whiffs and whined about how great it smelled (the tomato sauce aroma seemed especially scrumptious), but I didn't take one bite, or even one lick for that matter. After hubby ate some of it, I asked him how long his enjoyment lasted. He thought about it and then answered: three minutes. (He said he wanted to drink a gallon of water afterward, too.) I thought about it and realized I'm at a point--at least for now--where undoing a month of effort in three minutes doesn't hold much appeal. Especially because I've already done that a few times. :) I ate my veggie dinner with guacamole made with OJ, which is the creamiest, most decadent version I've ever had. I told myself that the pizza probably reflects on the outside how it would make me look on the inside. And I slept well too. (Hiya!)

IV Things Are Looking Up, Up, Up. My moods are improving and I feel contentment again (just in time to coincide with spring and all its blossoming metaphors). :) I'm glad to be feeling more like myself and surprised it took a month to get back into this groove. And again, it makes me consider the consequences of backpedaling seriously before undoing all of my efforts (and my happy self!).

Upcoming Things to Focus On. I'm not really eating low-fat. I decided a month ago that staying raw was more important to me in the short-term than staying low-fat, but low-fat (811-style) is my ultimate goal, so I'm going to be working on it more. Also, more exercise and sunshine would be lovely.

XO,

Kim

Champagne...

2010-04-09T15:55:00.001-05:00

Mangoes, Mangoes, Mangoes!

Mangoes + Tomatoes + Lettuce + Cilantro + Chives

One of the best ways to eat a mango:

Eating A Mango Over The Kitchen Sink

Happy Weekend!

♥♥♥

Creamy Zucchini Soup & Tahini Avo Decadence

2010-04-04T10:26:00.000-05:00

These recipes are really two variations on a theme, namely my recent obsession with tahini. If it starts calling my name in the middle of the day, I may have to hide the jar.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

1 Zucchini, chopped

1 medium Cucumber, peeled & chopped

4 Tbsp Tahini

Blend

Tahini Avo Decadence (a k a Tzatziki Meets Hummus Dip)

1 large Avocado

1/2 large Cucumber, peeled & chopped

2 Tbsp Tahini

juice of 1/2 Lemon

juice (hand-squeezed) of 4 Campari Tomatoes (optional)

Blend

This is very rich and delicious. A healthy treat in moderation (which I am not always capable of, so I try to share!) Enjoy!

Also, following is a list of ingredients for a processed version of Tzatziki Dip that I found when looking for recipe ideas. I think it makes a clear case for preparing our food ourselves (so that we are eating actual food!):

Sauce Base (Water, Partially Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Buttermilk Powder, Corn Syrup, Sour Cream Stabilizer [Modified Food Starch, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Guar Gum, Carrageenan and Locust Bean Gum], Sodium Caseinate, Vegetable Mono- and Di-Glycerides, Gelatin, Salt, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Citrate, Natural Flavoring and Culture), Cucumbers, Water, Contains 2% or Less of: Soybean Oil, Salt, Garlic Powder, Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Xanthan Gum and Stabilizer (Sugar, Corn Starch, Agar, Cream of Tartar and Salt).

Wishing you fruity days ahead!!

Erin's Mexican "Rice" Dish (with a Variation or Two)

2010-03-30T18:52:00.001-05:00

The fabulous recipes and accompanying photos that Erin of Low Fat Raw Recipes has been creating and posting make my mouth water. I couldn't take it anymore, so I recently gave the Mexican Cauliflower Rice a whirl! Fun to make and a delicious change of pace in texture and flavor. My changes: I used 12 Campari tomatoes, added 3/8 oz of chives, did not partake of celery, and used juice of a whole (Meyer) lemon. Also, being food-processorless, I chopped the cauliflower with a knife and pulsed the remaining ingredients in the Vita-Mix. And here it is all swirled together:

YUMM.O. :-)

Every Moment We Have Choices

2010-03-29T08:36:00.002-05:00

Tim Van Orden
"Life’s all about choice, about exercising choice: First believing you have choice, which is taking your power back—because if you don’t believe you have choice, then you don’t—and then exercising that choice. That’s where all your power lies."

Wondrous Margaret Moth

2010-03-22T14:18:00.004-05:00

Photo courtesy of Associated Press

She changed her name in part to signal her passion for jumping out of a plane. She loved working as a photojournalist and dove back in after being shot. She put on makeup and styled her hair in war zones. She faced cancer and the end of her life without regrets, with pragmatism, and with a vigorous appreciation for the opportunities of her life. See CNN's short but awesome documentary, Fearless: The Margaret Moth Story: Part 1 & Part 2 & Part 3 to hear Margaret in her own words and those of her colleagues. And to see some of the grit, fear, and bravery she captured in film.

"Given her jet-black hair, thick black eyeliner, black clothes and combat boots (which she often slept in while on assignment), people didn't always know what to think upon meeting her. She was quirky, the sort who excused herself from a social gathering by saying she had to wash her socks. And she was fearless, the kind of woman who not only kept the camera rolling while under fire, but zoomed in on a soldier who was shooting at her." ~ Jessica Ravitch, Fearless to the End: Remembering Margaret Moth

"Margaret was a law and a life unto herself." ~ Christiane Amanpour, CNN Colleagues Honor Camerawoman Margaret Moth

"I think life's sort of like a game of tennis. You have no choice over how the ball comes to you, but it's how you hit it back that counts." ~ Margaret Moth

A Few Fruity Meals

2010-03-21T09:08:00.000-05:00

Banana-Coconut Soup

Mangoes & Tomatoes

Chocolate Sapote Pudding

Salad

Sarah's Dilly Dip with Fresh Dill & Chives & Tomatoes & Lime Juice

Thought for the day via Leo Babauta of Zen Habits:

"If you don't do it, it won't become a habit."

Creating fruity habits, day by day and meal by meal. :-)

Canistel, Canistel, Canistel!

2010-03-21T08:40:00.006-05:00

Welcome! said the bananas, cantaloupe, and chocolate sapote:

I'm not quite ripe but I'm too beautiful to ignore:

How about making me into a banana-coconut-canistel smoothie?

The Recipe: 6 Bananas, 1 Canistel, Young Coconut Water &/Or Meat

She gets a little weird about the seeds, but let's humor her:

Canistel’s flavor is not like anything I can think of readily, but “pumpkin cupcake batter” comes to mind. It adds depth and richness to the above concoction, but I prefer to eat it all by itself. I might stalk this fruit. C a n i s t e l l l l !

On Animals as Dinner

2010-03-04T10:44:00.018-06:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bhenry/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A recent NY Times article on raising, killing, and eating rabbits as restaurant fare includes the image of silky sleeping white bunnies in a crate, about to be slaughtered. In another photo, a man holds a doomed rabbit carefully, even gently, while rabbit bodies are skinned in the background. And the story tells of how at one restaurant that had rabbit on its menu "a table of guests walked out, [so] it came off. Now the only rabbit served at the restaurant is disguised in a country terrine." Also from the article: "'It seems to me that the more you can make rabbit not look like rabbit, the easier it is to sell people on it,' said the restaurant’s owner."

Reading this article reminded me how we are naturally averse to killing animals and eating meat, perhaps especially when it’s unnecessary, which in our day and age seems to be most of the time for most of us. We have been taught to view the process of getting meat to the dining table as distasteful but unavoidable, and perhaps attempt to make it an exceptional cuisine (which it can be ~ but I daydream about chefs applying those same skills to raw vegan, high-fruit dining experiences). As a (fairly recent) former meat eater, granddaughter of a butcher, and current bunny and cat companion and caretaker, I find myself feeling overwhelmed with compassion. For everyone and every being involved: we are all connected. And we humans are often simply continuing the rituals and behaviors that we've been taught from a very young age, and likely even consider important and meaningful.

I am not completely vegan in my life (bedding, shoes, purses, and so on), but I'm taking steps (food, makeup, most clothing). And maybe in another 30+ years, when I'll have been at this for as long as not, I'll feel more comfortable saying how things "should" be.

In the meantime, we are blessed to live in a time when plant foods and global distribution can provide nourishment for the world's people. And to boot, it is likely the healthiest option, in addition to being lighter to live with as sentient beings. It can be done.

Here's a little animal sweetness and crazy cuteness for listening to me on my soapbox. :)

Trust & Hope & Confidence & Joy

2010-02-28T11:12:00.004-06:00

The other night, after eating yet another cooked meal and feeling way too full, I mentioned to my husband that I wished there was a "replay" button I could press to remind me how I felt the last time I ate this way. Because then I would never go ahead with it. But au contraire! ~ I realized later that I do have this button. I have my memories and knowledge and goals. (And photos.) I just choose to focus elsewhere when I choose to eat this way.

And that's okay. I just want to be honest with myself. :-) Later that night I kept hearing Paul Simon singing the line "Now who do / Who do you think you're fooling?" in my head. (I might have been singing to my dinner.) I like when my subconscious sends me messages this way. And when I'm really feeling chipper, as I do when eating fruity, I sometimes hear Julie Andrews singing "I have confidence in confidence alone / Besides which you see I have confidence in me." ♥

I have hope and confidence in my direction and destination because of my successes so far, which came about because I trust myself enough to change (even when it gets scary). Trust & Hope & Confidence together surely equal Joy. She may be silhouetted in feathers, but she's made of steel. And she laughs.

When we make changes in our lives, we can fall into looking at our choices as a form of self-denial, often because that's what we've been taught or encouraged to model. But that's never what life is about. Be your best self. Be your best friend. Bring on the joy. ♥

Fruity Kitchen Tour

2010-02-28T09:37:00.005-06:00

Greens (mostly for our bunny Emma Thompson), Pineapples, Oranges, Baby Spinach (for moi), Grapefruit, Coconuts

in January...Limes, Anjou Pears, Clementines, Meyer Lemons

in February...Spices (no garlic or salt), Diet Coke for guests (eek!), Raisins, Pomegranates, Nuts, Strawberries, Roma Tomatoes, Corn, Organic Dried Mangoes

Dates, Cucumbers, Celery, Chives

Carrots, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Lemons, Red Bell Peppers, Avocados, Semi-Dried Tomatoes

Gala Apples

Bananas!!!

Black Sapotes

Thank you Fruit and Veggie Growers & Distributors & Shippers ~
Thank you to my Honey for contributing vast resources to my fruity endeavor (and for joining in more often than I ever expected ;-) ~
Thank you Sweet Readers and Friends, for sharing this journey with me ~

♥ Thank You ♥

Sunshine Day

2010-02-21T16:04:00.008-06:00

♥ Thank you to Connie & Christopher at Berry Boy for sharing the Sunshine Award with me and helping make so many of my days bright & beautiful. ♥

A Day of Sunshine

O gift of God! O perfect day:
Whereon shall no man work, but play;
Whereon it is enough for me,
Not to be doing, but to be!

Through every fibre of my brain,
Through every nerve, through every vein,
I feel the electric thrill, the touch
Of life, that seems almost too much.

I hear the wind among the trees
Playing celestial symphonies;
I see the branches downward bent,
Like keys of some great instrument.

And over me unrolls on high
The splendid scenery of the sky,
Where through a sapphire sea the sun
Sails like a golden galleon,

Towards yonder cloud-land in the West,
Towards yonder Islands of the Blest,
Whose steep sierra far uplifts
Its craggy summits white with drifts.

Blow, winds! and waft through all the rooms
The snow-flakes of the cherry-blooms!
Blow, winds! and bend within my reach
The fiery blossoms of the peach!

O Life and Love! O happy throng
Of thoughts, whose only speech is song!
O heart of man! canst thou not be
Blithe as the air is, and as free?

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Sapotes Are Here!

2010-02-21T14:20:00.002-06:00

Raw chocolate has arrived and it's not in the form of a bar. ;-) These luscious black sapotes are from Taylor's Tropicals. Some are perfectly ripe and others are almost-ripe. All came packaged with TLC. ♥

Their fragrance when ripe is gorgeous ~ akin to roses.

Black sapotes taste like a delicate, fruity, chocolate-inspired dessert and have a pudding-like texture. Wonderfully scrumptious and filling. I also blended some with raspberries ~ yum!

Just like warm, melty chocolate, I got it everywhere.

Now I just have to save some for my sweetie until he returns from out of town.

On Things Not Going As Planned

2010-02-21T13:34:00.018-06:00

I was explaining (preaching) to my husband
aka The Happy Omnivore
about all of the baddies in meats
which he listened to respectfully
and then he said I was making him hungry.

We bought a mini watermelon and sat it on the counter
for my husband's dinner the next night.
In the morning, I saw white suds foaming on it
and the kitchen smelled overripe and fusty.
I picked it up and lo the wee watermelon
had been fizzing and leaking its fermented juice
behind the stove and under the cabinets and
e v e r y w h e r e
spectacularly.
(But it is now very, very clean behind our stove.)

III

Veggie wrap
Veggie wrap with whipped taters
Veggie wrap with whipped taters and brown sauce
Ditto
Veggie panini with cheese
Misery, thy name is headache + nausea + whiffs of garlic on oneself + neighbors frying bacon.

♥ You Are Beautiful ♥

2010-02-14T06:24:00.003-06:00

Say it with me:

I am beautiful

I am strong

I am worthy
I am love

Yes!

I Am!

Listening in...

2010-02-09T19:50:00.005-06:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/ / CC BY 2.0

With every meal I feel I am choosing gentleness and kindness as much as health and happiness. I feel good somewhere deeper than I expected. When I make the choices I make now I'm often softly humming. This is a gentler path in many ways: less packaging, less killing, less turning away, less hiding of my body, less hiding of my thoughts, less hiding from my thoughts. My old thoughts no longer fit me. My new thoughts are tender seedlings that I am planting in fresh earth, rich in joy and effort. What is true to me today is that it is a gift to be able to make these choices each day: what I eat, what I think, how I love. Relish your freedom and relish your loving heart that is open to discovery, again and again. Why not let these loving thoughts take root? They're there for the flourishing. ♥

80 Days & What I Want

2010-01-30T09:40:00.020-06:00

Happy Winter 2010!

How often we are told not to give in to our wants; but lately, I've decided this philosophy doesn't work for me. Once I decide what I want, I go for it. Plus, it's an expression of my freedom as a human being (to think what I want). And acting on that is strength. ♥

The key for me is to be aware of what I want overall and to honor that as best as I can.

Starting about a year ago, I wanted to feel less stress (emphasis on "feel less") and to pretend that I didn't gain weight when eating a whole lot of pizza and ice cream. With every pound I gained, I couldn't deny the physical results, especially when my clothing started shrinking, so then I told myself that each meal of indulgence was my "last ever." (Because then I could push off my disappointment with the results I was having indefinitely.) Eventually, after many months of trying to force myself into 100% territory, I finally understood that I was seesawing from one extreme to the other mentally, and decided to just do my best, without punishing myself for days off-track. My best turns out to be very forgiving.

I'm keeping my overall goal in mind (eating mostly raw fruits and veggies for the foreseeable future) while living moment to moment with family parties, celebratory dinners with my husband and friends, travel, work lunches, and so on. Now that I'm seeing the fruits of my labors (couldn't resist!), I'm happy to be mostly on-track with my dietary wants/goals. And it turns out that perfection has nothing to do with them.

In fact, I think "perfection" is simply meant to be an inspiring (and completely personal) vision that helps us stay the course in moments of our wants gone awry (confusion). My idea of perfection doesn't include 100% adherence to anything out of a sense of must/should/failure-isn't-an-option. It's a fluid vision of wanting to look and feel my best and be healthy and vibrant for a long time to come. Completely stressing about food during social occasions isn't part of it; but planning the best I can and doing the best I can (overall) is. So without further ado, in 80 days (tomorrow) of wanting to eat mostly fruits and veggies, I've:

eaten bananas, grapefruits, papaya (2 varieties), mangoes, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, persimmons, pomegranates, oranges, dates, cucumbers, pears, starfruit, cherries, red bell peppers, chives, carrots, zucchini, dill, tomatoes (4 varieties), corn, coconut water/meat, raisins, pineapple, celery, cilantro, figs, basil, pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, avocados, portobellos, cabbage, butter lettuce, romaine, broccoli, rosemary, cauliflower, arugala, limes, lemons, apples (3 varieties), cantaloupe, & cinnamon, plus on one day: veggie tacos for 2 meals and on a handful of other days (holidays and traveling), wine and grilled mushrooms on my salads

learned that: what I do consistently does make a difference / my body can tolerate less than beneficial ingredients (like salt & vinegar), but will still need to eliminate them, which I'll know because of symptoms / I digest seeds and nuts well only in tiny amounts, which I know because of symptoms / I digest most cooked foods very poorly, but in the cooked vegan realm, mushrooms work better for me than starches (which I know because of symptoms) / even traces of salt added to the food I eat sets me up for cravings later, which I know because -- my body gives me a lot of signals!

been drinking water by the quart only to find that in a warm house in a cold winter, it's never enough

been seeing a noticeable change in my moods and energy levels in only the last couple of weeks, making me wonder if some of the weight I'd put on had its own "energy drag"

lost 16 pounds (and holding)

developed the perspective that if I get to live to be 80+ and have eaten like this for 40+ years, it would probably help me feel pretty great

felt how important what I eat is to my health and yet how much more there is to health and happiness than (just) what I eat. :)

Cheers!
♥♥♥

Reflections on Growing Pains

2010-01-23T09:08:00.022-06:00

There are many, many shelves filled with books suggesting how to be happy. Is happiness unique? Rare? Unlikely? Is it loving what we have or having what we love?

In the 6th grade, I was a fairly lonely kid, except for reading. I loved reading. I had the best grades of my life thus far. In 7th grade, I socialized much more than the year before. My grades went right back to where they'd been before my year with books as my friends. This pattern repeated itself my freshman and sophomore years of college (in reverse).

These were challenging times for me. And yet I grew from them in unexpected ways. Perhaps even in important ways. More than once since I have felt lost so deeply, I was simultaneously dazed and in awe that human beings can feel so much and still be a part of the world as the world goes on with its business of being. Sometimes I felt my world would end, my very breath whisked away, taking with it everything that's good and lovely. (What, it's just me with these thoughts?? Best not tell me! :)

But I didn't fall through the earth like a stone in water. And things that seemed torturous and impossible to recover from began to look like growing pains. Like life itself. In-breath and out-breath. Expansion and contraction. Eventually I woke again with joy: still here!

Somewhere in cyberspace, I found the perfect description for this state of being: cosmic mush. It's the time and place between caterpillar and butterfly. It can be a tough road letting go of our previous identities and dreams, whether through our own choice or one that seems to be thrust upon us. But isn't it even more uncomfortable feeling hemmed in by one that no longer fits?

After weathering some of these bittersweet storms, all that's happened is I feel lighter, healthier, better able to keep true to what's meaningful and to let go of those things that have been too loud for too long in my head.

I think if we're alive, we experience growing pains. Life seems in no small way about learning that we can't be all things to all people (even some of the time). The gift in learning this is that I feel more like myself when I let that impossible desire go and focus on my own heart, my own breath, my own life in all its sweetness, mystery, pain, and beauty.

Sunshine and sleeping deeply, walking in nature and eating fresh garden foods, access to clean water and fresh air. I'm lucky to have these things in my life. As well as socializing with beloved people and and funny people and smart people and silly people and lovely people. Companionship with amazing animals. Enjoying good books. Creative pursuits. Meditating. Loving. Loving. Loving. Forgiving. Learning. Growing. Turns out all of these things make me happy to be alive.

Whether it seems to be in ebb or flow, I'm glad to be a part of this wondrous life. ♥

2010-01-08T09:03:00.014-06:00

Thanks to Christopher at Berry Boy for nominating me for the Happy 101 award. :-) It was perfect timing. I was just mulling over things that make me happy the other day, which I've now completely forgotten, but that's ok ~ the list is always changing! Here goes:

1. Snuggling with my husband
2. Watching our bunny Emma Thompson munch on dill and carrots
3. Karaoke with my sister
4. Crossword puzzles
5. A heavy snowfall (that I don't have to shovel!)
6. Sunshine
7. Tulips
8. Songbirds
9. Anjou pears' scent
10. Happiness!

If you're reading this, please consider yourself nominated for the Happy 101 Award. If you feel like joining the happy train and making a list on your own blog, please do. Just include your award, and let me know so I can enjoy your happiness with you. :-)

I Can't Believe It's Not Pasta

2010-01-07T10:15:00.022-06:00

Okay, that might be a teensy stretch of the truth, but here's the true history of me + this dish.

One of the last cooked meals I was ~~clinging to~~ eating before starting on 811rv this time (day 35 today) was marinara sauce from a jar served over Yukon Gold microwaved taters. It sounds simple enough, but this meal sat rather like a brick and the sauce smelled a little funny, like maybe Gollum inadvertently dripped goblin parts to stew in the water with frogs and twigs until they were added into my pasta gravy. Okay, that makes it sound really gross, but ~ it kind of was.

Thus is the beauty (some might say temporary mental quagmire) that eating raw foods sans condiments creates: tomatoes taste less like tomatoes--and more like mush--when cooked and slathered in spices, and what once seemed a luxe gustatory delight (I don't cook much and these were two of my favorites: together!) is now slightly revolting. It's as if once you're used to eating fresh foods your body asks, "now why would you want to stop and eat something 'preserved' if you don't have to?" Indeed.

Which brings me to I Can't Believe It's Not Pasta. I've been trying out different marinara sauce recipes for raw spaghetti, but haven't been satisfied with the resulting flavors or textures until now. This recipe rocks my craving for tomato sauce like no other so far. And it's pretty simple (four ingredients), so it's also been the kindest to my digestion. It's a meal I could imagine having by candlelight. Simple, elegant, and no garlicky afterburn or feeling that one needs to be put out of one's misery. Delizioso!

I Can't Believe It's Not Pasta
~~Marinara~~* Garden Tomato Sauce
3 Roma Tomatoes, fresh and quartered
2 Roma Tomatoes, Sun-dried (Home Dehydrated in my case)
10-15 Pistachios (kernels)
1-2 Tablespoons of Water
Pulse-Blend all ingredients to desired consistency.
Spaghetti
1 Zucchini, Spiralized

* I just learned (thank you Webster's 11th) that "marinara" means a tomato sauce "in sailor style," including spices (I get that: you're out to sea, away from fresh foods, you need preserves...), so I've renamed the sauce for accuracy. Now if only the tomatoes had been grown in my very own garden!

Stars in My Eyes

2009-12-31T17:10:00.009-06:00

Making choices that seem to change the idea of who we are can make for moments of loneliness and even fear if we don't keep in mind the reasons for our choices and the results we hope those changes will bring.

While eating is not everything, it is an important part of being human, and while I have created many opportunities and circumstances I love in my life, this has been an area that has not felt strong to me. So many influences and so much of the information I have received simply didn't--and often couldn't--provide the healthy direction I was seeking. And sometimes, I just wasn't seeking. :) I once read an article in which the author suggested he might happily skim a few years off of his life as long as that life included ice-cream. This made me smile and I mentally seconded what seemed at the time a playful approach to eating.

But something shifted. There is something inherently beautiful about raw foods, something magical in the way many of us have learned about them. Something satisfying in eating food that can make us feel lighter, younger, clearer, and gentler on the earth, and still fuel our bodies during endurance events and quicken recoveries thereafter (though this aspect of things is still just a sparkle in my eye!).

One of the living, breathing stars in my eyes is my three-and-a-half-year-old nephew who bounces, runs, jumps, giggles, laughs, sings, dances, cries, plays, imagines, acts, entices, and, every once in a while, rests--each day. He exudes affection, confidence, and joy. I love his desire to squeeze as much delight into his life as possible. I love that he tests what is possible for himself multiple times a day. I like to imagine that we each star in our own lives. And we can each imagine the world as our very own paradise (or playground) for the savoring.

Is life too short to eat this way? Lately I feel more that it may be too short not to.

Labels & Boxes & Presents

2009-12-24T12:26:00.003-06:00

What if we are each ultimately a gift?

What if we choose to live without shoulds?

These are two questions I'm pondering lately.

Wishing you a twinkling, merry, happy, and healthy 2010!

♥Kim

Becoming An Explorer of Health

2009-12-18T16:50:00.028-06:00

It seems like I have been on a voyage toward glowing health for most of my adult life.

For a long time, I followed traditional medical advice and for a long time, I was not healing. I looked healthy, as many young people do, but I wanted to believe that there was a chance for me to feel more vibrant, more often.

Some of the fixes I went after would help one thing, but then another issue (symptom) would pop up. And some just seemed to irritate my body and checkbook, such as weekly allergy shots for several years (with no health improvements). Eventually I became involved in alternative medicine, and while I loved & love many of the modalities, and definitely felt my energy levels and moods improving, I still felt there was a distinct piece of the health puzzle missing for me. I wanted more. :)

Now that one of my main "medicines" consists of eating mostly fresh & ripe fruits and veggies, and now that I am at last seeing the beginnings of consistently vibrant health, I sometimes want to sing about this path from the rooftops. Who might be interested? Well, it all really comes back to me anyways, and I am certainly intrigued. :) I feel like an explorer of health and happiness, and believe these attributes are a human birthright. And I believe it is up to each of us to explore and achieve these aspects for ourselves as best we can.

So here I find myself at the holidays, invited to lovely gatherings with beloved people and sumptuous cooked food. I've explained my food choices as a grand experiment for increased health, and those close to me are accepting and accommodating. Which leaves me with the knowledge that my entertainment will likely now be more centered on people and experiences than on food. So far, this has equaled more joy and a deep feeling of health. I am content to be on this path. ♥

Apropos of nothing in particular, the picture above is a bowl of seeds from one pomegranate. I like to munch on these in the evenings ~ they taste like sweet raspberry corn!

A Momentary Change of Scenery

2009-12-11T15:58:00.006-06:00

A little sunshine and swaying palm trees, brought to you from India by my sweetie & his camera.

Our bodies have amazing biofeedback systems. One of my goals in changing the way I eat is to listen more closely to how my body is responding to my food choices, and to follow the good. Since my late teens, I've had so many "issues": indigestion, headaches, allergies, frequent colds and flus--all of which became increasingly severe. And later, chronic fatigue, migraines, persistent rashes, hives, low-grade fevers. It's a little unnerving to write out this list. I haven't had an aspirin in close to a year, nor any other pain-relieving medications. No need for antibiotics. No cold medicines. No allergy medicines. No cortisone creams. Sometimes I want the healing to happen faster. And yet, when I realize how my body is already reacting to my choices these days, I am hopeful. And amazed.

Harvey Diamond has a way of describing what our bodies are up to in brilliantly clear and inspiring ways. I love how he views the body as intelligent and capable, thriving with our respect and care. In a chapter titled "Your Very Best Friend," he writes,

"As you learned earlier, the human body comprises 100 trillion cells, all working in perfect harmony. Each organ is a marvel in itself. The heart pumping 6 quarts of blood through 96,000 miles of blood vessels. The digestive tract turning food into flesh and blood. Balance always being maintained, temperature always being kept stable. Lungs supplying oxygen to the cells. More than 200 bones and 600 muscles working together to enable you to move in any direction anytime you wish. Ears that allow you to enjoy music. Eyes to behold the glories of a sunset. A sense of smell to marvel at the scent of a rose. Taste buds to take pleasure from food. And more activities, too numerous to list, all proceeding with extraordinary precision, simultaneously, for a hundred years or more, if need be. It is staggering to try to grasp the infinite intelligence necessary to coordinate the activities and precision of the human body. We can only stand in humble awe of it."

I'm wending my way to Day 30 of eating just fruits and veggies, but I did have a digression. For the second time in trying this style of eating, I developed some nausea and, in this instance, a fairly high fever as well. And this happened the night before I was headed into a company I used to work for full-time to do some freelance work on-site. (This was not the digression, but I digress... ;-) Eating fruits and veggies (only) in many ways is no big deal, but put me in a restaurant, hungry, and it suddenly seems like an unnecessarily trying choice. So later that week, having recovered from my illness by essentially not eating and sleeping every moment I wasn't at work, I went to lunch with some friends from the office and proceeded to have lettuce, tomatoes, rice and guacamole. (My big win: no chips!) My body might have been able to overlook these relatively few bites with only mild complaining, but then the cravings started intensely, probably because (a) I had salt and (b) I was feeling better and needed to be eating more than I was. So, instead of following what's been working, I decided to "experiment." That night I ordered in the same food (only more of it, along with beans and a few chips). By late evening, it had all cleared out. Body: very clear in its preferences. Mind: wondering how long I can keep trying to trick myself into believing certain foods work for me better than they do. Spirit: Laughing at myself for making it through Thanksgiving without one wayward nibble and almost heroic restraint at a work lunch--then caving into cravings that evening with a kitchen full of fruit. Silly. ;-)

Today is my eighth day back on the fruity-veggie trail, and while I would love to have a perfect track record, this was yet another helpful experience to learn what still steers me off course. I'm feeling well overall. Sleepier than usual, but also (paradoxically?) energized and lighter (eight pounds down in total so far). And hopeful for the healing benefits still to come. My husband joins me in this grand experiment most of the time at home as well, which I also find really helpful and...amazing.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Unstewed Stew

2009-12-04T09:35:00.011-06:00

Twenty days in, eating whole-fresh-ripe-raw (and organic if possible) fruits & veggies has been mostly delightful. I'm slimmer, more energetic, and feeling hopeful and content. I also haven't especially missed eating processed foods this time around. One of the challenges of eating this way can be eliminating added salt. For me, it takes letting go of all condiments and added salt to realize just how much I have been consuming (guessing by cravings and loss of water weight). Most prepared foods are laden with salt. The longer I abstain from it, the more I have a hunch it's used to mask flavorlessness and less-than-freshness (and perhaps even not-to-be-eaten-ness).

Eating all of the fruit I want has been, and continues to be, luscious, filling, and usually satisfying. At dinner, I like to add in veggies via soups such as tomato-mango, veggie plates filled with grape tomatoes, julienned bell peppers, sliced beefsteak tomatoes with fresh basil, cucumber chips and so on, and salads of all kinds. Recently I added veggie stew to my repertoire and it was very tasty. I find lime juice adds a flavor that almost resembles salty to my taste buds. (Or it could just be my previous associations of salt and lime together. I'll let you do the math. ;)

Unstewed Veggie Stew
Fresh Beefsteak Tomatoes, Pulse-Blended
Fresh Cilantro, Pulse-Blended (I think chopping first would have worked better)
Fresh Celery, Halved and Chopped
Fresh Cucumber, Quartered and Chopped
Fresh Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
Juice of One Small Fresh Lime
Add chopped ingredients to tomato puree. Serve & Enjoy.

I made a large bowl and savored almost every bite. I didn't measure anything really (freeing!) and I generally just use what I have on hand (which is usually what I enjoy). Somehow, it all works out. (This dish began as a salsa. :) My husband named the meal and I had just one wondering when I went to eat: spoon or fork?

Persimmony Goodness, II

2009-11-25T09:40:00.015-06:00

My enjoyment of persimmons continues unabated. :) I decided to experiment with making a persimmon pudding the other day and began by pulsing a few persimmons (sans skin) in the blender, then taste-tested to see if I wanted to add a banana or two. The persimmon puree was so delicious, I ate it as is. It's also quite beautiful!

Here's my method for making one-ingredient Persimmon Pudding:

Slice off the top

Gently squeeze persimmon

{I usually eat what's left in the top!}A firmer persimmon (not quite as ripe)

Pulse-Blend & Pour

A persimmon seed (aka, humble little weather forecasters)
Enjoy!

Persimmony Goodness

2009-11-19T17:27:00.009-06:00

This is my third winter enjoying persimmons, after a disastrous first taste of an unripe one, which I liken to eating powdered chalk (not that I have eaten chalk, but it must be close). This first encounter is so intense and so common, that when I purchase persimmons at the grocery store, the checkout person or bagger often comments on their similar experience...

...which is why discovering (and devouring) a fully ripened persimmon is such a revelation: they taste like caramelized pumpkins or gooey holiday sweet potatoes, and yet they are just off the shelf of nature's goodness--no heating, mixing, candying, or melting necessary. But, ripening, yes, oh yes.

Second Smoothie of the Day
Six Bananas
Two Fully Ripened Fuyu Persimmons
Blended & Served on Ice

Tricks & Tips
To determine which is which:
Fuyu = Cutie (round & squat like a mini-pumpkin)
Hachiya = Acorn-esque shape

To eat:
Fuyu ~ I've decided that slicing off the top cleanly is the easiest and preserves most of the fruit; I then just hold it upside down and the skin peels off easily. I hear that some folks eat the skin. It's so soft, I would imagine that's just fine. Now that I think about it, I suppose I've avoided it just in case the skin has any astringency left (it is just that cringe-inducing).
Hachiya ~ No recent experience with the Hachiyas, but these are definitely fruit you will want to ripen fully. Fuyus are more forgiving.

To ripen:
I've just read a great tip that suggests placing Fuyus on their green crowns to ripen. I'm giving it a try. It certainly helps me determine which ones are ripe more easily!

To appreciate:
Persimmons (A Poem by Li-Young Lee)

All Over the Map

2009-11-19T11:00:00.015-06:00

flickr.com

On my seventh day of eating low-fat raw vegan (80/10/10-style), my true love gave to me:

Well, my sweetie is in India and the Philippines for twelve days, but last night he told me he tried "dragon food" for breakfast and loved it, and I'm still smiling over this.

This morning's breakfast (in my hemisphere):
6 Bananas, Blended
Dash of Cinnamon
Served on Ice

I think when one is using so few ingredients, presentation--of the menu and the food--is a worthy indulgence! I tend to shave the corners on this, but Sarah's presentation skills inspire me so much that I'm going to start practicing my presentation skills for fun. (And Sarah, if you ever a teach a class on this, I'm so there! :)

Speaking of presentation, I'm slowly but surely getting the hang of blog posting, although I kind of feel like I did in grade school on the occasions when my teachers said my math answers were technically correct, but for the life of them they couldn't understand how I got there. Me neither! ;)

Inspiration

2009-11-17T16:14:00.009-06:00

I will not die an unlived life
I will not live in fear
Of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
To allow my living to open me
To make me less afraid,
More accessible
To loosen my heart
until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance;
To live
So that which came to me as seed
Goes to the next as blossom
And that which came
to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit

~ Dawna Markova

http://www.dawnamarkova.com/bio.html

Good Tidings

2009-11-17T14:50:00.005-06:00

My subconscious seems to have conversed with my fingers without me and now I have clicked my way into a new blog.

Welcome!