new years's musings

Today I went and bought myself a plant. A nice trailing plant, which I put in my bathroom on the edge of the tub. A humble little guy, who despite it's meager origins, has cheered me immensely on this cold, dark winter day. Maybe this sounds neurotic, but I have gone into the bathroom several times, under various pretenses, just to check on my plant. A living plant inside, while everything outside sleeps.

This quiet time has been restorative, yet I am now finding myself in a strange duality of fully enjoying the season and also looking forward to the coming of Spring. I am, and will always be, a warm weather girl.

I have been spending alot of time in the kitchen, trying new recipes, pouring through cookbooks, going through websites like allrecipes.com. One cookbook which we have particularly enjoyed the results of is Food and Wine's Italian Cookbook. It is not a vegetarian cookbook, although it does include several non meat dishes. It is a very health conscience book, however, which I appreciate. Several recipes can be modified to vegetarian very easily. The meat eaters in my family equally loved the dishes with and without meat... something of a rarity in this house to please everyone. I will post some of my experiments in the next few days.

Besides cooking I have spent alot of time at home with my family, going to movies with my husband, reading, and at the gym- running, doing weight training, and tons of yoga. I finally got window treatments put up, and am still loving the effect. So cozy!



I feel myself readying for the oncoming semester (14 hours) and more time up at the salon. I am beginning to feel that familiar old anticipation coming over me, and I know in a few weeks I will be guns ablazin'! But, in the meantime, this quiet time has been lovely and necessary, and I try to embrace every second of it.

Greg booked our 2010 family vacation a few days ago. It's in June. We are going on another cruise. This one is 5 days and will be in the Caribbean. Everyone is all excited about getting in shape and being in a bathing suit, but I am in shape now but will probably be pregnant then, lol!! Talk about irony!

I took this picture of a corner of my house yesterday when the light seemed just right. It is some of my pottery, some of a friend's, and a still life I did a few years ago while on a sunflower kick that lasted far too long:

pesto/tomato pasta sauce

Last night I was experimenting some in the kitchen, and I came up with what we thought was a very good pasta sauce. It used the pesto that I make, and then combined it with a tomato sauce. Here is the recipe:

Ingrediants:

Freshly made pesto (see recipe). Use all of it.
6 very ripe, large, organic tomatoes, coarsley chopped
5 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 large organic yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin, organic olive oil
1/4 cup organic Italian parsley, packed
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Saute onion and garlic until golden.
2. Add in tomatoes and cook over medium low until the begin to fall apart. About 45 min.
3. Add pesto, parsley, salt, pepper. Stir and heat through. Cover and remove from heat.

Add to you favorite pasta. I put mixed it into a large pot of penne pasta, and it was delicious.

Tomato Sauce

This is a recipe from Biba's Taste of Italy, by Biba Caggiano. It is a delicious, light, and healthy sauce, and has a myriad of uses, from pasta to pizza. I have even used in soups. This is a tradional Italian staple, originally from the Tuscan region, and I find it nice to keep it on hand. If canning isn't your thing, it freezes very well.

Homemade Tomato Sauce
Conserva di Pomodoro

Ingredients
12 lbs. very ripe organic tomatoes, preferably plum tomatoes, cut into large chunks.
2 large organic onions, cut into pieces, coarsely chopped
3 organic carrots, cut into small rounds
3 organic celery stalks, cut into small pieces
1 cup loosely packed organic, flat-leaf italian parsely leaves
1 1/2 tsp. organic sea salt, or more to taste
small bunch of basil, stemmed (20-30 leaves)
1/4 cup organic, extra virgin olive oil

Directions
1. Combine the tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, and salt in a large stockpot, over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin falling apart and the other vegetables are soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Puree the tomato mixture in batches in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Place a food mill with the disk with the smallest holes over a large bowl and pass the tomato puree through it to remove the seeds and skins. Return the sauce to the pot and season with salt. Cook it at a gentle boil until it has a medium-thick consistency. Stir in the basil and turn off the heat.

Migas

I really wanted to wait to share this recipe until I had a picture of my own migas to add, but alas, there is no telling when this will happen. So, I have decided to go ahead and post the recipe, promising myself to add a photo later.

Despite the obvious Mexican influence, migas originated in Texas, birthplace of many wonderful Tex-Mex hybrids. Initially conceived as a meatless meal during lent, it has been adapted as both vegetarian and non vegetarian over the years.

If you have never had migas, you will love this dish. It is a wonderful, healthy, and satisfying Sunday brunch, or can even be used as an ecletic dinner. My recipe is meatless, but you can add pork sausage, beef, or chicken, if you choose. I will often add the meat or poultry on the side if I am cooking for non vegetarians. Chorizo is also a popular addition to migas for meat eaters.

Migas

Ingredients:

8 eggs (from organic, free range chickens!)
1 organic onion, chopped
1 large, organic jalepeno pepper, chopped and seeded
1 large organic tomato, chopped and seeded
6 organic corn tortillas, cut into strips
1 cup freshly grated, organic monterrey jack cheese
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
1 TSBP red pepper flakes
1 tsp organic freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp organic sea salt
1/2 cup fresh, organic cilantro, chopped
1 cup salsa
1 chopped avocado


Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, water, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

2. In a small skillet, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil and add tortilla strips. Add a bit of sea salt and cook until they are slightly crisp. Set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and saute onions until golden. Add peppers and tomatoes. Heat throughm making sure not to overcook the peppers and tomatoes. You want them "just barely" cooked.

3. Add the egg mixture to the skillet; cook for a few minutes and then add 3/4 cup of the cheese, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 of the cilantro.

4. Continue to cook the egg mixture, stirring constantly. When the eggs begin to become firm, add the tortilla strips.

5. Continue cooking and stirring the eggs until until cooked throroughly. Top migas with remaining cheese and cilantro.

6. Top each individual serving with the avocado and salsa, and serve with flour tortillas.

Migas are delicious served along with sides of black or refried beans, quacamole, fresh fruits, hash browns (I will soon add a great recipe for Southwest Hash Browns that is amazing), or spanish rice.

cooking for vegetarians and non vegetarians

What a great and busy weekend we had to cap off the end of summer! A friend, who has been touring the country on his motorcycle, came to stay with us for 2 nights, which added to the sense of celebration and fun. The weekend also included parties, a work day at the community garden, yoga, shopping, dining out, a couple of large, fun meals at home, touring downtown, and a movie! Needless, to say, by Sunday night, we were tired, but a good tired.

People often seem perplexed at how one can be a vegetarian and cook for non vegetarians, and vise verse. A question I frequently hear when we are socializing is, "But what will you eat?" I understand that the idea of cooking meals for both vegetarians and non-veggies seems daunting, but having done just that for the last 20 years, I can guarantee that it is much easier than in sounds.

The best way to approach it is to base a meal around a central, non animal food, such as rice, beans, pasta, a bread type food, and the like. For example, last night my family came over to welcome back my son who is home from college for a few weeks. I wanted to do something simple, healthy, and delicious that everyone would enjoy, but would not require much effort on my part. I consulted with one of my "partners in crime" (my mother), and we decided to do pizzas.

I made the dough in advance (see Pizza Dough recipe), allowing it ample time to rise, fall, and rise again. In this case, the pizza dough would serve as the central base, or core, of the meal. By evening time, all that needed to be done was to roll out the dough, add toppings, and bake. We made two cheese pizzas and one with sundried tomatoes (see sundried tomato recipe), artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and balsamic vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Had we wanted to, we could have easily added chicken, beef, or pork to one of the pizzas, accommodating the meat eaters among us.

Another example from this weekend was Sunday Brunch. In this case, the core of the meal was an egg dish called migas (obviously, this would not work for vegans). Along with the migas, off to the side I served tortillas, veggie sausage, pork sausage, organic hash browns, sliced organic fruit, salsa, sliced avocados, and pico de gallo (see recipe). The migas as the base allowed everyone to tailor their meal to suite their own tastes.

Sometimes I will take a pasta dish and use grilled sliced chicken or other animal food, to top the pasta for the non vegetarians. This is so easy, and no one thinks twice about it. The trick is to change thinking from building the meal around the meat, poultry, or seafood, to building the meal around a non meat dish. It is simple when you think of it in those terms.

pico de gallo

Being Southerners, we love Mexican food. A wonderfully fresh and healthy staple of Mexican cooking is Pico de Gallo, an uncooked tomato sauce. It is traditionally used for dipping tortillas and tortilla chips, as a topping for enchiladas, chalupas, tacos, burritos, and other Mexican dishes, as well as a filler for wraps, tacos, burritos and the like. It can also be used as a delicious garnish to compliment most Mexican dishes. We like to keep fresh Pico de Gallo on hand as it is such a wonderful addition to so many meals, and also makes a great, healthy snack.

Pico De gallo:

Ingredients:

1 lb. large, ripe, organic tomatoes, chopped
2 fresh, large, organic jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 large organic onion, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh, organic cilantro, chopped

Combine 1st 3 ingredients in a bowl; add cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 2 cups. Refrigerate.

pizza dough

Ingredients:

2 tsp dry active yeast
2 3/4 cup lukewarm, filtered water
2 TBSP organic, raw sugar
1/2 tsp organic sea salt
2 TBSP organic olive oil
8 cups organic, all purpose, unbleached white flour

Instructions:

preheat oven to 450

1. Disolve yeast, sugar, and salt in the lukewarm water and set aside.
2. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl and pour into yeast mixture.
3. Mix and knead for about 15 minutes, until smooth.
4. Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a clean cloth, and place in a warm place (or a shut off warmed oven), until dough has doubled in size. About 1 hour.
5. Remove, punch down, and return to bowl, allowing dough to re-double.
6. Remove from bowl and separate into 3 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough, one at a time, and place on an oiled baking sheet, pizza pan, or stone. Stretch dough until pan is covered, making a small edge.
7. Spread pizza topping over dough and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until bottom is nice and brown.

*The extra dough can be refridgerated and saves very nicely. We like to experiment with different pizza toppings. A favorite right now is brushing a light coat of olive oil on top of the dough, drizzeling with balsamic vinegrette, adding a very light dusting of freshly grated, organic parmesan cheese, and topping with sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, carmelized onions, and basil. We vary this with using a homemade pesto as a sauce.
My son's love the traditional cheese pizza, which we make healthier by using homemade tomato sauce and topping with organic, freshly grated parmesan and mozzerella. You would not believe the difference the quality of cheese makes, so if you DO eat dairy, take the time to use the good stuff.*

sun dried tomatoes

I make my own sundried tomatoes at home in the oven (yes, a bit of an oxymoron, I know). They are so easy, far less expensive, taste great, are less processed, and I am assured they are organic. It is also a great way to use up all those tomatoes you have grown all summer, if you garden as I do. My family LOVES sundried tomatoes, and we use them in many dishes; from pasta sauces to pizza toppings. I will even put them on top of homemade bread coated with homemade pesto for a lovely breakfast or snack (this is soooo good it is ridiculous!). If you have never made your own sundried tomatoes, here is how I do mine....

Sundried Tomatoes:

Ingredients:

Organic tomatoes- I prefer Roma, but any type will do. About 10-20, depending on how many you want.

Organic balsamic vinaigrette

Organic olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 250
2. Cut tomatoes into halves, lengthwise.
3. Place on oiled baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette, and bake.
4. Bake for 3- 4 hours.

easy homemade bread

Ingredients:

1 cup warm, filtered water
1 TBSP organic milk (rice milk works as a substitute)
2 TBSP organic olive oil
2 TBSP organic honey (try to get local honey, of possible-helps with allergies)
2 TBSP organic brown sugar
1 tsp organic sea salt
3 cups organnic wheat flour
2 tsp organic instant dry yeast

Instructions:

1. Combine 1st 6 ingredients in large mixing bowl. Stir.
2. Add flour and yeast and knead until smooth, about 15 minutes.
3. Place dough in greased bowl, turning once to coat top. Cover with clean towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Punch down dough, knead a few more times until smooth, return to bowl. Let rise, covered in a warm place until doubled again. About 30 minutes.
5. Shape into a loaf and place in an oiled bread pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
6. Remove from pan, let bread cool on a rack.

Bread can be stored in airtight bag or frozen. This recipe also make a nice white bread, in which case we simply substitute the wheat flour for an unbleached, organic white flour like Bob's Red Mill.

update on scary legislation and rant

Well, an update on some of the scary legislation out there. It is a sad time for organic farmers, home gardeners, and all those who place a priority on health and freedom. Many of you out there may already know that HS 875's more evil brother, HS 2749, was pushed through the house. It actually did NOT pass the first time, so rules were changed to allow for a 51 member vote, rather than a 60 member vote, and it passed. Next, it will go to the Senate, and if it passes there, our rights to garden our own food, eat organically grown food, organically raised animal products, and non gmo foods will be gone. I have written to my states representatives, and I strongly urge all of you out there to do the same. I would also recommend that you learn to grow your food and begin to stock up on heirloom seeds, while still available.

Yes, I realize this sounds Orwellian and extreme. Sadly, it is the reality of the age we live in. Check it out if you don't believe me. It is all about profit, and personally I am not going to allow my personal health and freedoms to be violated in the name of profit without a fight.

I have said it before, but it bears repeating. It IS NOT HEALTHY to eat food that has been grown or raised with chemical fertalizers, pesticides, or has been genetically modified of raised on genetically modified food. It is not healthy to eat animal products that have been fed diets that they are not biologically supposed to eat. It is not healthy to ingest toxins into our bodies, EVER. It is NO COINCIDENCE that the rates of DIABETES, CANCER, HEART DISEASE, and OBESITY have NEVER been HIGHER. This is no accident. It is profitable to have a sick, unhealthy population. It won't do the makers of roundup (Monsanto) any good to have more and more people eating organic produce. It will not do the makers of insulin any good if people knew that they could possibly cure their diabetes. It would not do the meat industry any good if people figured out that meat (especially conventionally raised meat) is a huge health threat and quit consuming it. No, it would drive these folks out of business! A very good, informative documentary on all of this recently came out, called "Food, INC.". I would highly recommend it to every person in this country, as it sheds light on exactly where our food comes from.

Folks, the MOST IMPORTANT thing that you possess is your health. If you have health problems, or weight problems, it is NOT TOO LATE!! As long as you are breathing, you have the opportunity to turn things around. But explore and seek out ALL options and opinions. Consult with a Naturopath, a Homeopath, a Chiropractor, an Herbalist...not just an M.D. Learn about alternative cures. Once you find the right one, they work, I promise you, and without the side effects pharmacueticals cause. The information is out there, all over the place, go get it!! Become informed and mostly, TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR OWN HEALTH!! Because the government and the major corporations that are running the show do not want what is best for you, they are concerned only with the bottom line.

Basic Hummus Recipe

Basic Hummus:

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 16 oz can of organic chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
3-5 tablespoons organic lemon juice (depending on taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons organic tahini
4 cloves organic garlic, crushed
organic sea salt, to taste
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:
Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional

*This is a basic recipe. Feel free to experiment with various additions, such as roasted red pepper, crushed red pepper, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives. This recipe makes a good amount of hummus, although since we go through alot of it in our house, I usually double it:)

questions and answers

Recently, I was flattered by a question from my friend's husband, a pastor who asked if he could pick my brain on healthy food and lifestyle choices, as he was preparing a sermon on food choice and the body as thy temple, etc. I was happy to answer his questions, and I think the conversation was as thought provoking for me as it was for him. Then again this morning, after my Sunday yoga class, I was approached by a young man who wanted to know how I had gotten so "toned", leading to an interesting conversation on many aspects of health and wellness. I was, again, truly flattered, and felt that I took as much away from the experience as I gave. It really felt great when this 21 year old nearly fell over when I mentioned my age (regarding the the 'how to get toned' question, when I answered that I had always worked out and at almost 41, that is a long time, lol!), which then lead to him wanting to know all about everything and then some. Of course, there is more to all of this than I could possibly cover in that conversation, and I ended up having to cut it short, as we could have stood there all day. But, these two experiences have really caused me to do some thinking, and have been interesting as they seem to represent a subtle shift in societal thinking. I am far more accustomed to people asking questions about our lifestyle from a position of defending their own, therefore, I tend to be generally low key about these things outside of my immediate family and circle of friends. Here lately, however, there seems to be a growing curiosity about health issues, and an increased desire to learn more and implement that knowledge to a more healthy lifestyle.
This is good. This increase in awareness in the general public is a very, very good thing. The Standard American Diet (or SAD, as many refer to it) is killing us. That's right, killing us. It astonishes me that even MORE people are not aware of this, and choose to bury their heads in the sand. Never before has the incidence of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes been higher. Younger and younger people are getting these ailments, and more are dying from them. This is no coincidence, either. Good health is bad business. As long as policy is driven by the very entities that profit from said policy, our health will be compromised. I recently read that of the 100 strongest economic entities worldwide, 49 of them are countries and 51 of them are corporations. That tells you right there who is driving policies.
Having said all of that, I am really not used to discussing these things with those outside our little circle (and, of course, this blog), much less summing up our philosophies to strangers in a matter of minutes. So, these conversations have got me thinking, pondering over the main questions I was asked, which are:

1. What would you recommend to a person who was 125 lbs. overweight, who wanted to loss the weight without drugs or surgery?

2. Why vegetarianism and organic? What makes it better than the SAD?

3. What about protein?

4. How did you get so toned and how can I do the same?

5. How do you look so young? Is it because you are a vegetarian?

Thinking about all this is so good, because it makes me define my way of life, and be able to express more concisely to folks who are starting at the beginning of this journey, rather than my usual crowd who knows as much about this stuff as I do, if not more. So, here are my initial thoughts on the questions above. Bear with me, I may add to this later.

1. What would you recommend to a person who was 125 lbs. overweight, who wanted to loss the weight without drugs or surgery?

Well, I am not a doctor, a nutritionist, a dietitian, or a trainer, so what I am about to say is simply my own opinion and what has worked for me. Having never been overweight though, much of it is theory. But... our health and vitality is a direct result of the choices me make. When we make choices that allow our bodies to become obese, this affects every organ in our bodies, every cell, all the tissue, and how everything works. Reversing that is HARD, really, really hard, yet it absolutely can be done. A person must realize at the onset however, that it will not happen overnight, and a commitment to oneself is the first and most important choice to be made to lose the weight. You didn't gain the weight overnight, and you won't lose it overnight, either, but each day you will begin to look and feel better and better. Once that commitment is made, I would recommend, under the guidance of a qualified health practitioner, that the person drastically modify what they are consuming. All soda, fast food, processed food, non organic food, genetically modified food, and meat would be out. In its place would be a totally organic, vegan, and mostly raw diet, making sure that all the nutritional needs would be met. In addition, I would advise the person to do a good colon cleanse for excess accumulated waste, and then candida cleanse to rid them of yeast overgrowth that causes, among many other problems, food cravings. Next, I would have the person walking everyday and swimming, to start. Hopefully the health practitioner they were seeing would have them on digestive enzymes as well. It all goes back to the choices me make, and if we commit to a healthier lifestyle, we will eventually look better, feel better, and shed unwanted pounds. Our bodies were not made to be fat, or sick, or tired!
All of this stated, I tend to believe that weight gain often begins with ones poor feelings about oneself, so mental health issues must be addressed, as well.

2. Why vegetarianism and organic? What makes it better than the SAD?

Organic produce is grown without the use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers. If it kills bugs, it will kill you. It is also not usually genetically modified. Genetically modified food is food in which the seeds have been modified to resist weed killers, produce their own pesticides, grow larger, etc, etc. Studies have shown that organic, non genetically modified food has much more nutritional value than its counterparts. So, organics are more nutritious and non toxic. Why not eat them?
As far as vegetarianism, this is two fold. First, our bodies do not digest meat well at all. Meat basically sits in the stomach until it rots and is passed. What is actually passed. What isn't sits in the colon and turns toxic. Chicken is not much better. Fish is more easily digested, but can contain loads of mercury if not organically grown, which is toxic. Second, most meat and chicken is grown in extremely unhealthy conditions, injected with hormones and antibiotics, and fed a diet that is biologically incorrect. This leads to a very unhealthy animal. They are then processed in huge facilities which are allowed, by law, to monitor themselves. It all adds up to antibiotic resistant E Coli strains and extremely unhealthy animals, which then becomes your substandard food. You are what you eat, and do you really want to eat something that you won't digest well, if at all, and then if it isn't organic could make you very, very sick? I don't.
Finally, as a vegetarian, my diet consists of mostly vegetable products, lots of fruit, and multi grains. I get all of my nutritional requirements (with the exception of B12, which I get in a flax seed oil capsule), I feel great, have no digestive or weight issues, and I never get sick.

3. What about protein?

The average American gets one to two times the amount of protein they need. This cannot be stored, and actually, in excessive amounts can cause distress to the kidneys and other health issues. A lacto-ovo vegetarian (one who eats eggs and dairy) gets enough high quality protein in their diet. Vegans who eat plenty of dark green leafy veggies, a variety of plant food, and nuts and legumes also gets the recommended amount of protein. The myth that vegetarians do not get enough protein is completely untrue.

4. How did you get so toned and how can I do the same?

I had to think about this one. It seems like it would be the easiest question, but truly it was not, so I broke it down. First, I don't know your body or body type; only my own. So we will start there.
I have been working out most of my life in one form or another. I was always a runner- it came naturally to me. I was a competitive gymnast as a kid. As a young adult I regularly did aerobics, and at age 26 I began to walk 7 miles a day with my 2 very young kids (couldn't afford a jog stroller, so we power walked, lol!)and did a toning video afterwards. Once my youngest was 2 years old, at age 28, I began going to the gym each day, running and then alternating upper and lower body, and doing abs every day. I continued this for many years, and then switched to almost entirely yoga. I did that for about a year until I recently began adding the weights and cardio again. I have never felt extreme about any of this, just that in order for it to be effective, it had to be consistent- like brushing your teeth. So, with all the consistency, plus a naturally lean built, my muscles tend to show up more than most folks.
Anyone can built muscle. The truth of the matter though is that the leaner you are, the more it shows. That is why body builders "lean up" before the competition season. It is the same concept. So, my advice to the young man you asked me is this: do yoga, start a weight training program, add in some cardio, and be consistent. Eventually, you will be toned...at least I think so. Remember, I'm not a trainer (although my husband is, actually, so I checked with him that my advise was on the mark. He said it was:).

5. How do you look so young? Is it because you are a vegetarian?


This was so sweet, and I want to say up front that at my age, a lot depends on how much sleep I get! But, seriously, I do get this a lot, and I am both flattered and deeply convicted about my answer. It isn't just me, either. I know many others on the same path, and we all look and feel the same, if not better, than we did at 18. It all goes back to the choices you make. At 40, you are (and look) either old, or young. Period. I have been a vegetarian most of my life, I have eaten organic, non toxic food most of my life. I have limited or eliminated junk food, fast food, sugars, processed foods, and the SAD for the majority of my life. I have taken cleanses to remove toxins, taken digestive enzymes, made sure my digestive system was in good shape. I have combined all this with exercise, activity, movement, ideas, stress management, happiness, meaningful work, and love. I try to make conscious choices, and live my life with awareness. I laugh. I dance. I sing. I do what brings me joy. I guess it has paid off. I truly believe that our modern lifestyle causes premature aging if one is not aware of the dangers and takes precautions to deal with the effects that this modern world has on them.

So there you have it. I do want to add that, while we are seekers, and strive to live a healthy lifestyle, we are not perfect and don't expect perfection of others. It's about setting your course and working to stay on track. Everyone veers off track now and then. It's about trying to stay as close to the road you have chosen as much as possible. If you do that, the law of averages will be on your side.

Community Gardening

This year, my dear friend organized, spearheaded, and made happen a community garden. Loving gardening as I do, I quickly jumped on board and leased a plot, and then another. The garden quickly filled up, and people rallied around it, as if it was something they had been waiting for. I know I had been!

For $35.00 per plot, per year, you have a 25 by 12 ft. plot, access to water, and a space in which to grow whatever you wish. In return, you must donate 10% of your yield to the area food pantry and agree to garden organically. It is a wonderful concept: it does something positive for an old empty lot, helps the environment, brings the community together, helps feed the hungry, provides healthy sustenance to your family, cuts down on a households food costs, and even provides exercise and fresh air to the gardeners. What's not to love?

Imagine how surprised I was when I found out that ours was the first and only community garden in our county. Ours is considered a wealthy county, however, there are more and more "white collar" poor, and the food pantry is getting more clients every day. All this while there are still many empty lots here and there...every neighborhood has at least one....and so I have to ask myself why aren't more of these little gardens? With so many benefits, it seems to me that if every neighborhood had one, so many problems could be solved, gaps filled, and we would all be healthier for it. Maybe I am naive and it isn't that simple. Or maybe the answer is indeed that simple; staring right at us. Often solutions are just like that.

Of course, community gardening isn't in line with the agricultural giants agenda, which could explain why they are not more actively promoted. Sadly, if agri-biz gets house bill 875 pushed through, community gardens- especially "organic" community gardens, will become a thing of the past. Under the guise of "eliminating food born illness", house bill 875 will make it illegal to grow food organically (i.e without the use of fertilizers and insecticides), this even includes the home gardener who grows food only for his/her own family's consumption with no plans to sell or distribute.

This is something we should all WAKE UP and pay close attention to. Whether or not you are into organic food, it is really all about CHOICE. Do you really want the government taking away that choice? This bill, by the way, is backed by the very entities who will profit from the elimination of organic foods. Monsanto, maker of Round Up and the worlds largest seed distributor, is a major backer. Do you want those who profit most from what you eat deciding what you eat? Do you want to lose the fundamental freedom to decide how to nourish you own body? And if you allow the government to take away your right to choose, what is going to be next? It is a slippery slope, my friend.

It's time to get informed. There is plenty of information out there on this bill. Find out all you can and then let your voice be heard.

Pesto, the new Superfood

Recently we have been pesto eating fools. Not the pre-made store bought variety, mind you, but our own, green goodness, organic, made from scratch, wonderful pesto. The recipe is easy:

Jalapeno/Basil Pesto

2 Cups basil leaves, packed.
1/3 Cup organic, unsalted pine nuts (or whatever kind of nuts you have on hand)
1/2 Cup organic, extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Cup organic, freshly grated parmesan/reggiano
3 cloves fresh, organic garlic, minced
2 large organic jalapeno peppers; chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Combine basil leaves and pine nuts in food processor, blend. Add garlic and jalapeno peppers; pulse a bit more until blended.

2. Slowly add olive oil, blend. Add cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Note: If you are sensitive to spicy foods, simply omit the peppers. We live in Texas, so we like the added pop.

This is an incredibly healthy and versatile dish. First you have the fresh basil, which retains all of its vitamins and nutrients being so fresh and raw. Add to that the power of raw garlic, benefits of olive oil, protein of nuts....it truly is a superfood. And completely raw, meaning it retains all its nutrients.

Not only does it taste amazing, has incredible health benefits, and it easy to make, but this food is very, very versatile. We have used is as a dip for crackers and pita breads, a sauce for pastas, a marinade for veggies and (for the carnivores among us) poultry and seafood. It can be used on pizza dough, combined with breadcrumbs for a filling for mushroom caps, and even spread on toast and topped with sundried tomatoes for a lovely breakfast (I actually had this this morning- it was delicious!).

And, in the end, if you are anything like me, you have grown A LOT of basil this season. This is a delicious and healthy way to make use of all that green goodness!

welcome to my blog

Welcome to my blog. My name is Beth, and I created this blog to document and share our lives as we endeavor to create as healthy and balanced lives as we possible can.

I am a wife, mother, artist, business owner, and student. I live with my family in the Southern United States. The household consists of me, my husband, Greg, and my two teenagers, a daughter 16, and a son, 14. My oldest son, 23, is away at college, studying to become an attorney. I run a home-based business and about to enter my junior year as an Art History major with a minor in French. My husband is a coach, trainer, and fitness professional. We are both self employed, and enjoy that freedom immensely. Having experienced the "Rat Race" we quickly recognized that it wasn't for us, and no salary or position could put a price tag on our happiness and freedom. It took some doing, but we are both now free. In the past, I have been a professional artist, a hairdresser, and worked in corporate America as an account manager, marketing director, and in sales.

In 1992, when I was 23, I decided to go back to vegetarianism (I had been raised as a vegetarian)after my young son and I became violently ill from eating a McDonald's hamburger out of a Happy Meal. That was a huge turning point for me, and began a lifetime of healthy eating, as well as putting me and my family on a path of health, nutrition, and well being. Over the next 15 years, I raised my children as vegetarians (until they were old enough to decide for themselves), spent the extra money for organic (even before ANYONE knew what that meant), grew my own food, did my own cooking, and continued to seek out knowledge and grow. Unfortunately, that growth did not include my at-the-time husband, and we divorced in 2003.

Another turning point on the road to a healthier lifestyle happened in 2005, when in October of that year my husband, my ex-husband, and my father were all diagnosed with some form of cancer. My husband's was the most serious (and rare), my father's was the second, and my ex-husband's was merely dysplasia, and therefore, he had the best prognosis. It rocked us to our cores when the dysplasia didn't go away, and instead of getting better, my ex only got worse. Two years later, and after a very rapid decline, my children's father lost his battle with this dreaded disease and passed away. Both my father and my husband have remained symptom free, thank God. This experience only furthered our quest for knowledge about all things pertaining to health and wellness.

Currently, my daughter and I are total vegetarians, and my son and my husband adhere to what is now called the Mediterranean Diet. This diet, so named for the region around the Mediterranean where the population eats a diet which mainly consists of grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and limited amounts of fresh seafood and poultry. All animal products that enter our home are organic, hormone and antibiotic free, grass fed, mercury free if fish, and locally raised if possible. We garden extensively, including two plots at a local community garden. We make our own breads, pastas, sauces, pestos, hummus, teas...well, you get the picture. The best thing is, though, that we feel great, rarely get sick, don't have weight problems, and eat amazing food! Other things we do (besides eat) are cook, see movies, sew, paint and draw, study, read, study herbalism, bike, practice yoga, travel, and now blog:) We tend towards alternative medicine, never use antibiotics, and listen to our bodies. We don't buy things unless we can't reuse, recycle, borrow, or re purpose, and, other than our two homes, we live completely debt free.

As different and "un American" as all this might sound, it makes perfect sense, at least to us.