A Year and A Half with Yoga

Happy 2016!  

I love January.  It always feels like a clean-slate, a do-over, a chance to change.  In reality, every day, or even every moment is a new beginning, but January just has that 'anything is possible' feel to it...it's like an engraved INVITATION to change, to grow.

In 2016, I have planned to continue some successful actions, as I chase down my 6th year anniversary (coming up this summer) of embarking on a plant-based diet and I plan to implement new actions based on recent research and ruminations.  (More on that in a future post:  hint:  microbiome!).

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One of my changes that I am now happily calling a fully-established habit, is Yoga.

Yoga.

Widely defined and even more widely practiced in its various forms, has become a integral part of my life.  I began practicing a year and a half ago, and I love thinking back to where I was when I started, to compare with where I am now.

I started with a few older programs I had and added in Trudy Styler (Mrs. Sting) & James D'Silva's DVD Warrior Yoga.   It remains one of my favorites and is in my practice at least one day per week.

Trudy's DVD, bottom center

I started with the 25 minute workout and remember painfully working towards making it through the 50 minute version at all, then adding it in one time per week while doing the shortened version two other days a week and gradually working up to doing that 50 minute workout 3 times a week.  I still find the flow of this workout challenging and beneficial and it has become like an old friend that I know very well.

I am currently doing yoga at least 5 times a week, with a preference for 6 days and I now cycle through a collection of DVDs that I have worked to find and that suit my goals.  My body craves the practice now (but I remember having to DRAG myself to the mat) and I notice that I move better, have improved balance and now enjoy almost zero joint issues despite having previously had chronic knee, back and hip issues.

Yoga is, I believe, a very personal journey, and I think it is a good idea to try various styles and instructors to find what works for you.  I went through a large number of DVDs (most sampled from the library, but some borrowed from friends) before I began to get a feel for what I could physically do and what music/teaching style/instructor's voice wouldn't irritate the heck out of me (some instructors just rub me the wrong way, despite how beautiful they look & how enticing the back drop settings may be; sorry, canNOT do Shiva Rea as lovely and energetic as she is...nope just can't do it).

My current favorites.  I know, the picture is terrible.  They are listed by title below.

So, with regular practice you can expect to get in better shape, to have better alignment and posture and better muscle tone, but beyond the many physical benefits of yoga, there is something more that is a little bit difficult to articulate.  Maybe it is due to the breathing that you learn to regulate and deepen, maybe it is just the act of 'showing up' for yourself on your mat on a regular basis, but somewhere within it all, you learn a bit more about yourself....you might even find yourself feeling a bit more confident, challenging yourself in other areas of your life and learning to appreciate the here and now.  

Is that a bit far-fetched and too much to ask of a session with a DVD?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Maybe it's a bit like that great Harrison Ford line in Six Days Seven Nights in reference to 'finding' something on an island...."it's an island, babe....if you didn't bring it here, you won't find it here".  Maybe what we cultivate in yoga, or any other practice, is there within us all the time and we just need the time, space and attention devoted to it to bring it out or peel away the barriers.

Whatever it is, I know that I have grown to love this practice and despite being a night-person by nature, will get up long before dawn to make sure I have the time to do it.

Now, to master that camel pose....I'll put that on for 2016 as well.

Sue, facing my dogs downward, in Ohio

My newest set....Yoga Warrior 365 with Rudy Mettia.

I wasn't sure about adding this set to my mix.  I had sampled one of Rudy's DVDs and knew that it would be a challenge for me to learn from him.  He's a bit more, well, let's say 'chatty' than I like from an instructor; it's almost like he feels like he has to entertain or something and really, I prefer some quiet space in the instruction.  But, I am glad I got this set as I have found his detailed instruction has deepened my understanding of the movements as well as given me more options to allow for physical limitations if needed and his challenging flows of the movements are making me stronger.  I believe I may learn more patience/tolerance as well as I repeat the DVDs.  Also, there is a lovely spirit about the man that comes through even when he's being a bit annoying.  I found my set new on Ebay and was able to buy from a Canadian seller, which worked to my benefit currency-wise.

No Yoga DVD collection is complete without at least ONE Rodney Yee, in my opinion.  I have done many of his dvds in earlier years of practice and sought him out again while looking for DVDs in 2014 when I started again.  I settled on his Yoga Conditioning for Athletes and I do like it, but I believe I'll be adding more Rodney in later as I don't think it is necessarily his best.

Once a week I pop in my Yoga For Strength with Vytas Baskauskas (or Vytas, The Punisher as I call him).  I really enjoy this DVD (except for the opening core work which just KILLS me).  Vytas does have a separate core workout in the special features though that is a bit kinder than the opening of this set. I work on that with the goal of eventually being able to hang with him through the opener. I really enjoy Vytas' demeanor and tone of voice and lack of incessant chatter.  I am working towards being ready for his multiple-set called Deepen Your Practice.   Vytas has an interesting back story. Read about him here:  http://www.vytasyoga.com/index.html

Once a week I spend some time with Caley Alyssa in her Yoga for Balance DVD and try not to swear at her young and graceful self.  I bought this DVD specifically for balance and it really has made a difference for me and I feel more balanced for the rest of the day after working through the set.  She is straight-forward, no nonsense, easy to follow.

I hope you give yoga a try and if you do, I hope it brings you all of the benefits, and more, that it is bringing into my life.   

Namaste.

S.

Follow the Pain & "Superlife" by Darin Olien

"Follow the pain", I quipped to a friend of mine in an e-mail recently.

"Follow the pain....it's a compass point leading the way out".

The context of this comment is complicated and probably unnecessary to detail.  We are both working on our emotional fitness in a specific context that is often drama-filled; I'll just leave it at that.

But did you ever write or say something to someone and then it began to tickle a part of your brain, coming back to visit you as if to say, pay attention here, there may be something for you to learn?

I think we can and do use others as a mirror for ourselves....what bothers us about others can often merely be a reflection of our own foibles, short-comings and can point us to areas that need improvement.

Follow the pain.

In my own case as I work to stretch out of my comfort zone in a few areas of my life, I find the seductive pull of the status quo nearly irresistible.  Why am I resisting change?  Change is inevitable and can be exciting.  The universe abhors stagnation as does nature.  All arrows point to change and change is the only constant!

Why resist?

Follow the pain.

In my childhood, change meant pain.  I craved consistency, predictability, stability.  Even the mere sound of the automatic garage door opener starting up signaled a massive energetic response coursing thru my body....all systems on red alert...be prepared for anything, fight, flight or sink into despair.  It became a Pavlovian 'bell ring' to my adrenal glands.  Growing up in a home with an abusive alcoholic will do that to a person.

I thought I had long ago slayed that demon.

Follow the pain.

Could it be that the craving for stability was now, in my late adult life, planting itself firmly in my path to becoming the best me as a formidable road block?

I think so.

Follow the pain.  Embrace change.  Chart a new course.  The unknown does not always signal pain....sometimes it brings new discoveries and happiness only heretofore hinted at.......

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Superlife, by Darin Olien.

I ordered this book after hearing Rich Roll's conversation with Darin on a recent podcast.  www.richroll.com    Darin's basic approach to nutrition and the 'superlife' is by integratingwhat he identifies as the five life forces (nutrition, hydration, oxygenation, alkalization and detoxification).

He talks about feeding our cells properly; that if we do that, we've got the rest covered.  I've only skimmed through parts of the book, but I already know I am going to find it quite useful.  I especially like the section in the book that categorizes food by purpose, so, for example, if you wanted to eat to address stress issues, you could look to see what foods support the systems/organs that help us cope with stress.

There are recipes and general guidelines.  (I will forgive Darin's inclusion of eggs and a tiny bit of dairy here and there as otherwise most of the information blends with my other research -- although he does use oil). 

I enjoy his clear writing style and statements that cut through to the crucial points such as these on p. 129:  "The mere fact that our immune systems react to animal-based food should tell us that it contains something unhealthy for us.   .........every meal triggers a new bout of inflammation, which we constantly renew with every plate placed before us.  At some point it becomes a chronic conditions.  Our immune systems don't get a breather."   He goes on further to define this condition as 'nutritional stress', something that I think is vital for us to understand and deal with properly in order to achieve optimal health.

I'm sure I'll do another post on Darin's book.  Learn more about him here:  http://www.superlife.com/five-forces-that-will-make-you-healthy-fit-and-eternally-awesome-darin-olien/

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Cool beans.  Wet conditions have made my garden go just crazy and I'm still harvesting lettuce which normally would be long past its prime.  Fresh garden lettuce in July in Ohio, hard to believe.

I doubled up on a bean I tried last year that I thought would be fun for my grand-daughter to grow....dragon tongue beans.  (I ordered from Baker's Creek:  http://www.rareseeds.com/dragon-tongue-bush-bean/)    The plants are huge and bushy and I harvested the first of the beans this week; not only are they fun, but they are mighty tasty just lightly steamed, plain.  And you gotta love a bean named after dragons.

Sue, enjoying the simple beauty of the garden, dragons and all, in Ohio

A Soggy July and The Rich Roll Podcast featuring Darin Olien

It's raining here in Ohio....again.  We seem to be in this pattern and can't get out; can't get the hay in because the fields are so wet, can't, can't, can't.

....but there is a lot that we CAN do.

For one thing, the raised garden beds are happy!  My garlic 'crop' is in.  This is my first try at garlic and I planted mostly the variety Music.  My bulbs seem to be smaller than those I see at the local farm market, but then I didn't add any fertilizer.  They smell wonderful though!  I'll definitely be planting more this fall.

 

 The kale, collards and lettuce
 especially have been spectacular.

 With the cooler temps, we've had a
 steady harvest of a variety of lettuces.

I've had some time to do some inside work too and catch up on my favorite podcast.  Rich Roll continues to put out interesting and timely content.  

Find him here:   http://www.richroll.com/category/podcast/ 

I recently listened to episode 153 featuring Darin Olien, dubbed the Indiana Jones of Superfoods.   Darin has a great story about how he came to look to food to find health and is a staunch believer in the healing capacity of foods.  I particularly like that Darin gives back and is immersed in helping indigenous cultures protect themselves from corporate greed.  

Find out more about Darin here:  http://www.superlife.com/

I ordered his book and hope to glean a bit more knowledge about what it takes to fully thrive.  I'll carve out some time to review his book here later.

Speaking of books, I did pick up Rich Roll's new book, the Plantpower Way.  I've only glanced at it, and will write up a post about it when I've had a chance to do it's beautiful and colorful pages justice and to try out some of the recipes.

http://www.amazon.com/Plantpower-Way-Plant-Based-Recipes-Guidance/dp/1583335870/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436565567&sr=8-1&keywords=the+plant+power+way


 

Tonight I'll get a chance to use some of these garlic scapes....fun having them fresh from my garden.

I'm going to try a pesto, but most recipes I find have tons of oil.  I'm going to try processing some scapes, sunflower seeds, a bit of nutritional yeast and avocado for fat/moisture.  Will snap some pix and upload later!

Happy (albeit soggy) Summer!


Sue, loving the garden, in soggy Ohio

To Juice or Not To Juice

The concepts of both smoothies and juicing have a bit of controversy attached to them, especially in the whole-food plant-based eating community.

Just do a google search about the downsides of smoothies and juicing and you will read all manner of horrors about blood sugar spikes, how you need to chew your food to get digestion off to a good start, etc.  You will find an equal amount of postings about how juicing will save your life and cure cancer and more.

Like most things in life, the truth for most of us probably lies somewhere in between.

This winter, I wanted to ramp up our nutrient levels and was also looking for a solution to the difficulty of getting enough greens and fruits into my omnivorous husband.  He does pretty well here at home, but doesn't eat breakfast and I worry about him getting enough nutrients to help balance the demands from his high-stress job, so I re-kindled my old habit of sending him out the door with a small smoothie.  In the winter months, and this year we have had some serious winter here in Ohio, it is sometimes hard to down a smoothie; they are quite cooling and I've not had great success in making a green drink in the Vitamix.

I decided to look into juicing and after a little bit of research, in uncharacteristic fashion, quickly pulled the trigger on a purchase.  I opted for a masticating juicer vs. a centrifugal juicer.  I like the idea of no blades and watched a couple of videos and settled on the Kuvings, deciding it would be fairly easy to clean.

[ For a quick explanation of the basic differences between masticating juicers & centrifugal ones, see:   http://cookingequipment.about.com/od/reviewsrecommendations/f/Masticating-vs-centrifugal-juicer.htm }

Here is my Kuvings.  Juice is coming out on the left and pulp coming out on the right.

The Kuvings does a great job for me and I love that I can use up produce that I might not otherwise get to.  I've made a variety of juices now, mango and spinach, apples, oranges and romain and of course, various combinations with that nutritional power food, kale.  

The idea of throwing out all of the remaining pulp was too painful for me the first couple of times I juiced (I have since gotten over it :).  I tried making muffins:

and crackers....

....with only moderate success.

My best efforts came when I juiced the veggies separately, and used predominately veggie pulp in the crackers.

Pre-baking

I kept it pretty simple.  I added some additional moisture to the pulp....(Ground up raw sunflower seeds soaked in the Vitamix and then blended into seed milk), a bit of ground golden flax seed, sea salt and some whole-wheat flour.  I added a few spices, mostly granulated garlic.

Crackers after baking on the pizza stone 

 I believe total bake time (375 oven) was about 20 minutes.  Time will vary according to thickness of dough; I rolled it out thin as I wanted more of a wheat-thin type cracker.  I left the stone in the oven after turning off until oven cooled and I think that helped with the crispness factor.

These crackers came out very good and the mix goes together quickly.  I will definitely be making them again.

As for the juicer itself, I've only had this one, so can't make a comparison, but it is not that big of a deal to clean up, which I hear is the main deterrent to people actually USING their juicers.  I'd say it takes me no more than about 5 minutes to disassemble and clean.  It goes back together quickly too; I am not mechanically oriented and there is a small learning curve for reassembly, but it is a good design and not difficult.

{For more info on Kuvings, see here:  http://kuvingsusa.com/

I got the silent slow juicer similar to the model pictured here:

http://kuvingsusa.com/01product/product_view.asp?model_code=SC%20SERIES%20BLACK&page=1&category1=A001&category2=&keyfield=&keyword=&totalKeyword=&menu=A001 }

As for juicing, it has become a regular habit now, and I typically juice once or twice a week.  I can send the love of my life out the door with a fresh juice a couple of days a week (we usually consume what I juice in two days) and that feels very good.

It is too soon to tell if I am cured of anything or how my health has been impacted, but my energy is good and I usually am dragging at this time of the year, craving the spring, with depleted Vitamin D reserves.

And, the juice is delicious.

I'm still craving the spring, but that'll come on Mother Nature's terms.  She has her own calendar!

Sue, Juicing in Ohio

Cranberry-Pistachio Cookies and Gift Jars, oh and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year!

I am super excited about 2015.  I believe this will be the best year ever.    I have much to share on the blog and will get back into blogging some more this winter; I've been doing a lot of reading, 'personal' work and feel more hopeful and healed and ready to move forward than I have in a long time.

In the meantime, I wanted to share a recipe I used for gift jars this past holiday season.  I know it is past December, but this is a good one to hold onto or maybe would be a nice Valentine's gift for someone.  Much healthier than a box of chocolates!

I found a recipe for cranberry-pistachio cookies here:

http://www.hungryhealthygirl.com/2014/12/19/mason-jar-gifts-cranberry-pistachio-oatmeal-cookies/
and here:
http://myvega.com/vega-life/recipe-center/mason-jar-gifts-cranberry-pistachio-cookies/

There are actually several listings of this same recipe out there on the web, so I am going to break 'blogger protocol' and put the recipe here.

Cranberry-Pistachio Cookies

Dry Mix:
1/2 C dried cranberries
3 T pistachios, chopped
pinch salt
2 T ground flax
1 1/2 C oats
1/2 C oat flour (I just ground up oats)
1/2 C almond meal
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda

Wet Mix:

2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup nut butter
2 T coconut oil, melted (can sub out oil, applesauce or nut milk works well*)
3 T maple syrup (*I did a few soaked dates and this works too, include soaking water)
5 T water

Drop by spoonful onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 15 - 17 mins.

I gave out a lot of these jars this year and I was surprised by the response.  One of my gift recipients is a very non-vegan, very high-processed,  high-sugar eater and she LOVED the cookies and asked for the dry mix recipe.

(Be sure to include ingredient list for wet mix and instructions with your gift).

I am keeping a batch or two of the dry mix in the frig so I can whip up some cookies quickly (could bake as bars in a baking dish), and I want to experiment with different dried fruit/nut combinations.

The dry mix really does look festive with the red of the cranberries.

Happy, healthy snacking in 2015.

Sue, loving the fresh start of a new year, in frozen Ohio

Cranberry-Mango-Orange Ice Cream and 100th post

With it looking like this outside:

...it seems untimely to be thinking of ice cream, but I had some odds and ends to use up in the frig, including a bit of coconut milk, so I thought, aw, what the heck.

First I started with my basic Vanilla recipe....soooo simple:

 --- a few frozen bananas
 --- a few Medjool dates, pitted
 --- tiny bit of vanilla powder (probably 1/8 teaspoon- I LOVE this brand:                   http://shop.hempspread.com/Pure-Vanilla-Powder_c44.htm )
 --- coconut milk (I use canned coconut milk, not the packaged coconut drink/milk)

I don't measure, but there is a feel for what the correct balance is between frozen fruit and milk after making it a few times....too much milk, and it is too slushy (although still yummy) and not enough and well, the Vitamix will scream at you.

Blend all ingredients well in the Vitamix.  I use the plunger continually and aggressively when I am doing this.    If you just want Vanilla, you can stop here and serve as is immediately, or put in a container in the freezer for later (it will have to sit out for a few minutes to soften before serving).

For the Cranberry blend, to the above I added:

 --- a good amount of fresh cranberries, approximately 1 cup
 --- one orange, peeled
 --- frozen mango, approx 1/2 cup.

Blend in Vitamix.  Serve or freeze.

This was very good and I left it a little bit 'chunky', leaving visible bits of cranberry.  I liked the citrus overtones (I may increase the amount of orange or garnish with a few gratings of orange zest) and the tart bits of the cranberry.

Cranberry-Mango-Orange Ice Cream

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100th post.  

I haven't been as active on this blog as I thought I might be this year and have many blog posts started but not finished, that cover topics I want to get on here; I hope to spend a bit more time on the blog in the coming months.

What started out as a tentative chronicle of my journey to attempt a path to a healthier me over 4 years ago, now feels like an important aspect of a true and committed way of living.  Of these changes, I am very proud.  I have many more improvements to make in myself, and of course, no journey of this type ever really ends, but it does feel like a bit of a milestone here in this moment, so I'll celebrate with a bit of ice cream, (followed by some hot tea as it is cold here!)

I hope you are firmly on your chosen paths and enjoying your journeys as well....

Sue, still on the (snow-covered!) path, in Ohio

Fed Up, the Documentary

I recently got a chance to view Fed Up, a documentary by Stephanie Soechtig and narrated by Katie Couric, who also co-produced the film.  You can click through to the trailer for it here:  http://fedupmovie.com/#/page/home .

I was generally pleased with the overall message of the film although of course I always think these efforts could go further and I found some information not specific enough.  (For example, a very vital point made about how many cases of Type 2 Diabetes in adolescents were reported in 1980, zero, and how many were found in 2010, 57,638, gave no point of reference....is that in the U.S., worldwide or what?).  A quick check on the CDC's site did not give me this info.

I know other bloggers and investigators have questioned other statements and statistics purported in the film and I expect even more fallout will ensue (especially from individuals connected to the powerful food products industries that would be negatively impacted by radical change).

Regardless of actual facts and statistics, it doesn't take any hard science (other than maybe a field trip to Wal-Mart or other large grocery box store) to see that (1) we have a serious health problem in this country, that we are now exporting to the rest of the world and (2)  food choices are a big part of that problem.

As a vegan for over 4 years now (yeah!), I know how very limited my options are in any food store or restaurant, and this is in a day and age when awareness about whole food is on the rise. And yet, how can it not be understood that encouraging and facilitating the consumption of fresh, whole foods will help with our current health threats?

To say there is no connection between the amount of processed food Americans consume and the unhealthy lunch choices available to our children and the enormous rise in childhood obesity is just beyond logic.  Even the most avid soda pop drinker I know has an understanding that consuming this beverage is not a healthy choice to make and yet in one store I visited recently, the pop display vastly out-sized the entire produce section by a factor of 3 in my estimation.  Soda is a highly profitable commodity and is in part subsidized by our government.  For more on unhealthy subsidies:  http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2012/07/25/Billions-in-Tax-Dollars-Subsidize-Junk-Food-Industry

Even more troubling is the consumption of pop by our kids and I remember serving on our local school board's Superintendent Advisory Council when BIG SODA offered money to be put in our vending machines in our high school.  I voted strongly against it, but the money was too enticing and 'desperately needed' to be turned down.

And this is just the pop selections and vast advertising campaigns and doesn't even touch the other candies and sugar-chemical-laden choices that bombard us at every turn.

Again and again we choose money and profits over health and taking the harder road.  I worry about the bigger lesson that is being taught here to our children.

Fed Up is, I think, a good film to refer people to who are maybe not making the best food choices, want to do the best for themselves and their families, yet don't know exactly where to start.  The overall message of getting off of processed foods, or at least reducing them and going back to the basics of cooking real whole foods is prominent in the film.  It is heart-breaking to see the obese children featured in the film who are suffering, but through their bravery in exposing their stories, inspiration to take that harder road can be found.

In the end, we can start by focusing on ourselves and what we CAN do to better improve our own health and for those we hold dear.  I've been taking my little 4 year old grand-daughter shopping after our play time in the parks and trying to teach a bit here and there and encouraging her to pick out the fruits and veggies she wants.  She LOVES broccoli and this week we went to a rural year-round farm market, the only one I know of in our area, and she found some beautiful broccoli.  I was even more excited to hear her ask for carrots and to tell me that 'they are good for me, Mi-ma.'.  This is something I told her a few shopping visits ago but she turned up her nose at them.  Now, she couldn't get them into the basket fast enough.  Progress.

If we don't have our health, all else is impacted drastically.  It is worth all that it takes to live healthfully.  I wish you success on your journey to optimal health!

Sue, snacking on kale, in Ohio

Quinoa Burgers and Finding my Way with Michael, Rich, Dan and TED*.

I recently got inspired to make up a quinoa burger recipe after glancing at a Trader Joe's flyer and seeing the words "quinoa", "burger" and "salsa" in the same sentence.  I think TJoe's actually carries such a thing now and will investigate the next time I am in the store, but until then.....

Quinoa Burgers:

1/2 c quinoa (dry measure), cooked 

2-3 small onions, chop and water saute

1 can pinto beans - drained and mashed

1/2 c salsa

1 cup corn, lightly processed or just smash with potato masher

1/2 c raw sunflower seeds - ground

1/4 t cumin

1 t garlic

1-2T arrowroot powder

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That was my original working recipe but I ended up adding:

 1-2T of whole wheat flour and an additional 

 1/2 cup of oatmeal, ground, to compensate for the mix being too moist.

Blend all ingredients, form into patties and refrigerate for an hour or more.

Bake at 400 degrees and turn once, watch for browning and firming up.  Baking time will vary according to amount of moisture and patty size, but mine took about 20-25 mins.

Makes 8 - 10 burgers and I enjoyed them even more cold as left-overs the next day.

Vary spices and add-ins to suit your individual taste; I will try adding in lentils next time.

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I set out in 2014 to really make this a concentrated year of growth.  This is the Year of the Horse, if you follow Chinese calendars, as I do (mostly for fun, but some of the categorizations of personality type are intriguingly accurate), and that is my year.  It only comes around every 12 years and since this is a significant number that I am turning in December (read "OLDER!"), I am especially drawn to the task at hand of living the most meaningful life I can and attaining even my more elusive goals.

As a result, I've submerged myself even deeper into the 'self-improvement' realm.  My studies have taken me recently on a powerful tack and the things I am reading are now over-lapping and condensing.....clarity is on the horizon.

Yoga and meditation are back on my regular schedule and I highly recommend Trudie Styler/James D'Silva's Warrior Yoga dvd  although there is no real warm up, so I'd suggest warming up before diving in and it is definitely challenging.  I'm enjoying it quite a bit though and my body is thanking me for pushing through it.  http://www.amazon.com/Trudie-Stylers-Warrior-Yoga-Styler/dp/B002KLA9DK  You can pick it up on Ebay or Amazon for a few bucks.  I got her Pure-Sculpt one too and it is torture.....in a good way, :).

I'm continuing with the Rick Hanson materials (Buddha's Brain, Just One Thing and Hard-wiring Happiness---sign up for Rick's free newsletter here:  www.rickhanson.net) and continuing on the 'happy' theme, I recently listened to Dan Harris' work, 10% Happier after hearing him on one of Rich Roll's podcasts.  (Rich continues to be a personal hero for me....listen to ANY of his podcasts, they are all informative and inspirational.  www.richroll.com, also his book "Finding Ultra" is wonderful).

Dan's book is great in audio form; being read by him, it has a nice flow and if you like sarcasm, you'll appreciate his dry, sarcastic wit.  Entertaining, inspirational and a great way to increase your walking mileage...listen while you walk.  More about Dan's story here:  http://abcnews.go.com/Health/book-excerpt-abcs-dan-harris-10-happier-tamed/story?id=22850949

I'm also listening to the Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor  and Charge by Brendon Burchard, both of which are giving me little pointers and practical applications to help bust through blocks to my progress.

Then I ran across a little 10 minute video on Brian Johnson's blog that introduced me to TED*, The Empowerment Dynamic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5hSa16FX94  I instantly ordered the book which is a very fast read and is full of simple, yet powerful observations about the ways in which we limit ourselves, simply by point of view and how to switch to a more causative perspective.  I am working through it a second time with highlighter in hand and have ordered some of the source books that the author, David Emerald, took his inspiration from.  I have a feeling I'll be poking around down in this rabbit hole for quite a while.

To round out my growth, and to learn more about understanding, and taming, the 'voice in the head', I picked up a wonderful book entitled, The Untethered Soul, by Michael Singer. I am taking my time through this one and allowing the concepts, most of which I am very familiar with but now find presented in a more absorbable way, to really seep in.

I've actually done a lot more investigation and research and self-work this year, but these are some highlights that I think would help anyone wanting to better understand themselves and reach their goals.

Sue, still seeking, but firmly on the path, in Ohio

"It's Hot Out" Treat, with a cherry on top....

Dang it is hot and humid here in Ohio.  BUT, I am NOT complaining....no I really am not.  After this past winter, I doubt I will complain about the heat again.

Instead, I will cool off with a fun treat.



Dark Cherry/Vanilla Frozen Treat

1-2 frozen over-ripe bananas
1/4 cup of raw cashews soaked in enough water to cover
1/2 cup of frozen dark cherries
2 Medjool dates
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla powder*


Soak cashews for a few minutes (I do this right in the Vitamix).  Add bananas and cherries, dates and vanilla powder.  Process and add more water if Vitamix bogs down.

Serve, eat, smile.

*I splurged awhile back and ordered some Wilderness Poets Vanilla Powder.  You can learn more about it here:  http://www.wildernesspoets.com/  or here, where I ordered it:  http://www.iherb.com/wilderness-poets-pure-vanilla-powder-1-oz-28-g/53529

This is SERIOUS vanilla and wonderful.  I like that there is no alcohol too.

Yummy, yummy, yummy and a nice reward after some hot outside work.

Sue, in vanilla heaven, in Ohio

More Crackers.... Karrot Krackers

This may be my Cracker version 10.0 or 11.0, have lost track of how many attempts I've made to get a nice cracker, but this is my best effort yet.... Karrot Krackers (yes, with a K...just kause....).

It's been rainy and stormy and a bit dreary here in Ohio, even if temps are no longer sub-zero.  I think we are still craving sun...really REALLY craving sun.  Yesterday's chill made me think I could squeeze one more pot of my favorite soup out of this season.

And, when I think of soup, I bemoan the fact that there aren't any really good (and affordable) vegan low-no fat cracker options.

So I tried again to concoct one, just from scratch.

Karrot Krackers:

1/4 - 1/2 C sunflower seed milk
1/2 - 3/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 - 1/2 C cornmeal
2 T ground golden flaxseed
1/4 C nutritional yeast
1/4 C shredded carrots
1/4 t celtic salt
1/2 T safflower oil*


Mix dry ingredients and then shred the carrots into the mix (I used my microplane so they were more minced than shredded).  Soak raw sunflower seeds in water in the Vitamix and blend up for seed milk.  Add milk in slowly to mix a consistency somewhere in between bread dough and cookie dough.  I had to adjust between dry ingredients and then more wet to get this to a nice pliable consistency....not too dry and not too sticky.

(*Normally I cook nearly 100% without oil, but decided to add just a bit to this recipe.  I don't think it really made much of a difference though).

Roll out dough very thin on pizza stone with floured rolling pin.  (I ended up with a bit of extra dough and flattened with my hand and baked on a cookie sheet. It came out fine).

Bake at 375 until edges are browned (mine took about 20-25 mins).  I thought the dough still felt a bit spongy in the middle so turned the oven off and left the crackers in the oven until it cooled.  I think this really helped to give a nicer crunchy texture to the crackers.  I didn't score the dough with a cutter so ended up breaking them into chunks by hand, which worked out fine.

This cracker tastes a little bit like a wheat thin, something I was going for, but is more bland.  I would definitely add more salt and maybe a spice or just up the carrot content to get a little bit more sweetness.  Red pepper flakes and some chili spice would make a nice companion for chili soup or even salads.

This cracker is sturdy enough to stand up to a layer of peanut butter on top or could be used as a dipper for hummus.


Sue, still searching for the perfect Kracker and waiting for sun, in Ohio

Barn cats with the right idea on this rainy dreary day

Chef Del's Better Than Vegan Cookbook

Because I simply do NOT have enough vegan cookbooks,

really, not nearly enough....

when I saw that Chef Del had released his first cookbook, of course I had to get it.

I've actually seen Del in person and sampled some of his cooking when I was at The Wellness Center in Columbus to hear Rip Esselstyn speak, just two weeks into my vegan/whole food plant-based adventure, coming up on four years ago.  I knew a little bit about Del's personal story and struggle with health/weight issues, and he shares that history in the opening pages of his book, Better Than Vegan.

I always enjoy a personal saga and admire it when people are brave enough to bare their soul and share what has worked for them.  Del also educates in the book with a lot of good, basic data about nutrients, cooking without oils and unprocessed (for the most part) foods, as well as how to stock your vegan pantry, etc.

I've only made a couple of recipes from the book, but I believe it is one that I will come back to and will be the source of several new 'go-to', tried and true favorite recipes for me.

His black bean veggie burger recipe is now my favorite and I've made it half a dozen or more times.  (I did change the recipe though as I found the amount of spices he used too much for my palate---I also used Northern beans and Kidney beans in place of the black beans and prefer that variation).

Bean burgers from Chef Del's Better Than Vegan Cookbook

Del has several strategies for cooking that he utilizes in different ways throughout the book, for example, using a cauliflower puree in place of nuts/tahini in sauces, soups and other applications.  I am tweaking some of those sauces to suit my tastes.  In doing this, the book seems a bit repetitive and maybe over-simplified, but then again, I do like the short list of ingredients in the recipes, the fact that most go together quite quickly and especially the fact that I don't have to sub out things like oil  (note: Del does use stevia, which I am not a fan of, as well as rice syrup, wine and sherry, none of which I use, but those are mostly easily substituted with soaked or blended Medjool dates).

I'll share more thoughts about the book as I continue to cook from it.  It is nice to see that books which align with Dr's. Campbell and Esselstyn's approach are being published, and I am happy to support that effort.

Amazon link to Del's book:  http://tinyurl.com/n265enp

Sue, loving my veggie burgers, in Ohio

Heaven and Hell - My 3 Day Dance with High Raw Vegan & a Cool App/Web Tool

As I approach the four-year mark on my whole foods, plant-based food program, I've reached a level of comfort in my understanding of why I eat the way I do and also a level of confidence around the kitchen.  I now have enough of an assortment of satisfying recipes, good cookbooks and alternatives for 'veganizing' most recipes I come across.  I also have been through the calendar year a few times now, so can deal with the various holidays and food-centered celebrations and the people that love me (and those that don't but find themselves in my proximity) have grown used to these big, big changes.

Although, I enjoy pretty good health, have maintained my initial weight loss (more or less, currently up about 7 pounds, but holding at that number), and do not actually even remember the last time I was sick, I still have been feeling that something is missing and that I can, and should, tweak my diet again, delving deeper into my understanding of what constitutes the recipe for optimal human nutrition.

And so, I looked into raw vegan diets, again.

I had looked at the 80/10/10 and 60/20/20 programs early into my switch to vegan eating but felt I was facing a big enough challenge going vegan at that time and passed it by.  {The numbers represent percentages of the macro-nutrients carbs/protein/fat, with the 80/10/10 being associated with Douglas Graham and classified as 'high raw vegan'....no cooked foods, carbs obtained from predominantly fruits, some veggies and fats from nuts and seeds in very small amounts}.

After reading up on the rationale behind Graham's program and agreeing with most of the logic behind it, I thought this would be a perfect 'spring cleanse' for me and a way to see if this program would be beneficial.

Day One:

Although I quickly realized that it was going to be a BIG challenge to ingest enough food in order to get the calories (2500) needed, I was optimistic and feeling very energized by the fruit meals.  I eat probably about 60-80% raw anyway, so I figured this would not be that difficult.

By afternoon, I was hungry, despite eating more food (in bulk, but not calorically) than I usually do in a whole day, but felt mentally clear and very energetic.

By evening, I was STILL hungry, hungry most of the day, despite eating a LOT and often, and I realized I needed a way to track what I was consuming.  A friend had told me about www.myfitnesspal.com and I found an app for it on my Android phone, downloaded and started inputting.  I realized that despite eating a massive quantity of fruits and veggies, I was over 1,000 calories low.  I consumed a huge salad and added a dollop of left-over rice casserole to help with the hunger and calorie load.

Day Two:

I started the day with a liter of water, as is recommended by some of the successful raw foodists, and had been generally keeping water consumption way up.  I felt VERY rested and supercharged for the day, great energy and wonderful mood, almost euphoric.  Hopeful, I jumped into my day planning out the food and tracking it on myfitnesspal.  I also thought I would add smoothies in to help with the physical aspect of consuming that much food and to boost calories.

This day went pretty well and I stayed very 'up' all day, dropped my tea consumption, realizing I didn't even need my tea....so much energy.  This is great.

Day Three:

I woke up starving....I mean, like STARVING, like a month on a deserted island starving.  Never have I been so hungry in my life.  I stayed in this state all.day.long, no matter what I ate.

By lunch, I was about in a panic.  Despite my continued input of food into my mouth and numbers into my app, I couldn't even approach the numbers I needed.  I downed 6 Medjool dates to get my energy going and ease my increasing anxiety.  I started getting a headache.  I became dizzy.

I made a HUGE salad, like feed 10 people salad and started tearing into it waiting for a moment of satiety where I could take a breath and relax a bit.  It never came.  I just remained hungry, hungry, hungry.  I added some avocado, thinking that would help a bit and it did a tiny bit, but...still, I was miserable.

Then I went to the bathroom to get ready to go somewhere for the evening and I looked in the mirror and about freaked.  I was bloated, with a swollen abdomen that I have not seen since I was 8 months pregnant.  It was scary.  It's when I realized, that although the logic of this type of eating makes some sense, there is one teensie-weentsie little thing that seems to not be addressed....it's called PHYSICS!  There is a maximum mass that can be put into another physically massed object.  Even allowing for the wonderful tolerance of the human body and the stretch of the stomach, still, there is a limit. Oh, I was miserable.

It is now 24 hours later....I followed my 'regular' vegan diet for most of today, but still spent most of the day hungry. It was like my body was just stuck in this fear of starvation and was telling me, hey, stupid, you aren't giving me what I need!  I had a nice sweet potato with black beans, corn and brown rice with some salsa and avocado for lunch and that finally did the trick for me.  I'm finally not dizzy, feeling more 'normal' and settled.  (Also, now only 4 pounds off my original weight loss numbers....having lost three pounds the first two days).

I did learn a lot from this foray into high raw vegan, and I do think that the fat levels in my diet have been too high...too many raw cashews slipping in, too much coconut milk.  I'm continuing to use the myfitnesspal app to track my nutrients....it can be customized for any program being followed and has been useful to see some other nutrients I've been concerned about.  I wish it had even greater detail, but there are some nice features on it, including the ability to just scan the UPC code of an item and to pull up the nutritional info from that.

I actually think the 80/10/10 numbers may be about right (or maybe 70/15/15 or thereabouts), but HOW that 80 is gotten is vital, for me, anyway.  I can't get that all in raw fruit/veggies, but could split that 80 about 50/50 probably between simple and complex carbs.  I'm going to play with it a bit and find the right ratios for me and see how my energy and general wellness goes.

More power to anyone who wants to follow this program and who is able to and there APPEAR to be great successes out there.  I think, with any program, we do need to listen to our bodies as we go along and be willing to change and tweak as feels right to us.  I think too, that yes, maybe we, as a people, did eat raw 10,000 years ago prior to modern agriculture, fire and so forth and maybe genetically we haven't changed that much in that time, but there is a food efficiency to a complex carb and there is a place for cooking our food.  While much remains the same, we are NOT the same humans we were 10 centuries ago, either, in many ways.

There is a practical side of this program too; I simply cannot (or am not willing to) spend about 4 hours or more a day in the physical act of eating, (and, a resultant vastly increased time in the bathroom!), and just getting this amount of food down is quite the challenge.  I would say the jump from vegan to high raw vegan is as far, or farther, than the jump from the standard western diet is to whole foods plant based (vegan).  It is very difficult, or at least I found it to be.

Sue, getting back to basics, in Ohio

Stuffed Mushrooms

I had some mushrooms threatening to become science experiments in the frig (one of the side-effects of shopping at Costco and buying in larger volumes; I've been running into 'extras' more and more and have been challenging myself to find different uses for the excess).

My husband loves, loves, loves mushrooms, whereas I can barely choke them down and do so only because (1) Dr. Joel Fuhrman says they are good for me (and helpful in the prevention of breast cancer) and (2) Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn has a great mushroom gravy recipe in his book "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease".  {If you don't own Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live and Dr. Esselstyn's book, I highly recommend both}.

It's been a stressful winter season and I thought it would be nice to see if I could make something yummy for darling husband, who does so very much for me.


Stuffed Mushrooms:

12-15 mushrooms (I like Bellas)
1 large clove of garlic (minced)
1-2 cups of fresh spinach
1/2-1 t red pepper flakes
1/2 C ground raw cashews
dash of tamari (optional)
additional seasonings as desired

I pulled out the stems of the mushrooms and trimmed the dry bottoms off of those, setting the caps aside.  I rough-chopped the stems and put them in a frying pan with a little bit of water (I'll probably add a dash of tamari to this when I repeat).  I minced a large clove of garlic (I buy good garlic from our farm market and still had one good head left of a purple stripe long hard neck garlic....yummy), so tossed that in with the stems lightly sauteeing.  The aroma was wonderful.  After the garlic was just getting soft, I added chopped spinach, about 1 -2 cups and quickly wilted that, stirring continually.  I transferred this mixture to a bowl and added WAY too much red pepper flakes; husband likes hot food, so more is better, right?  Hmmm, maybe not, although he did say the left-overs 'calmed-down' after being in the frig overnight.  I'll do about 1/2 teaspoon next time.  Add ground up raw cashews and stir well.  Scoop into mushroom caps.
I placed in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  I think it would do better to have them in a hotter oven, and you could even finish off under the broiler if you wanted to crisp them up.

After my husband ate one, he said they were 'ok'.  (That's like 4 stars at a 5-star restaurant around here....the only higher rating here is 'good' or 'it's a keeper').  The REAL rating that I watch for though is to see if he goes back for seconds, which he did and then the next day made his own little meal out of the rest with some left-over pasta.  Score.

Maybe next time I make them, I'll be brave enough to try them....but, I'm only doing 'cause Joel says to ;).

I apologize for the horrible pictures and will change these out when I make this again, as I certainly will, and soon (just did a Costco run).

Sue, eating to live, in Ohio