Indian-Spiced Lentil Soup

Yesterday, for no reason at all, I made a big pot of lentil soup.

Today we have ice and freezing rain/sleet in Ohio and that soup is mighty perfect.

I used Robin Robertson's recipe in her cookbook "Vegan Planet" which is great to have on hand when looking for something a little different or needing some culinary inspiration.

  https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Planet-Revised-Irresistible-Fantastic/dp/1558328319/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=vegan+planet&qid=1581011571&sr=8-1

Robin has, in her more recent cookbooks, eliminated some of the oil she uses in her 'big' books, Vegan Planet and 1,000 Vegan Recipes, but of course it is easy enough to do a water saute in place of all of that oil.

This recipe is very forgiving and a great way to use up the extra veggies that seem to accumulate in the veggie drawer of the frig or pantry bin.  In addition to her sweet potato ingredient, I used up a few white potatoes.

The recipe is easily doubled, tripled, etc. and freezes nicely too.  The blend of cumin, coriander and cayenne increase the heat in a great way that is very comforting and the addition of ginger, makes this a great healing soup for winter's ills.

I omitted the cilantro and loaded up with more lentils than the recipe called for...a LOT more lentils which makes it a bit heartier.

Carmelizing the onions in a hot water saute really adds a nice flavor.

I keep trying to duplicate the great lentils that Trader Joe's sells ready-to-eat, and have been told that they steam theirs.  I pre-cooked the lentils for this soup by steaming in a double boiler; the cooking time is increased, but the flavor is great.

I added a can of Rotel tomatoes for that extra kick.

The original recipe has been duplicated here:

https://fi.pinterest.com/pin/308426274460538138/?lp=true

My version ended up being comprised of non-measured amounts of lentils, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, celery, sweet onions, spices, tomatoes with chilis and water/veggie stock.  As with most soups, it is even better the next day.

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With winter in Ohio settling in, I've got some extra indoor time to work on decluttering and sorting and have decided that the entire house needs to be gone through.  I'm employing my old "15-minute rule" that I used to go through a stockpile of boxes we had inherited with the passing of our parents.  I reasoned that I could do most anything for 15 minutes and actually set an egg-timer for 15 minutes to help me get through the first few times to allow for the daily habit to kick in.

I'm starting small, with one drawer/cupboard at a time and it amazes me how quickly a good habit can be incorporated once I push through the initial resistance.  And like any good habit, learning to incorporate a bit of discipline will spill over into other areas, which is probably why I'm finally back on this blog again!

Hoping 2020 brings good fortune to all who come across these words.

Sue, de-cluttering, again, in Ohio

Plarn and My New Obsession

What to do when it is like this outside?





Make something!  How about a new craft using plarn?

What is plarn?

It is plastic yarn, usually made up with those excess grocery bags that some of us that forget our environmentally-conscience bags at the grocery store end up getting.

I had LOTS and LOTS of them.

I also had quite a bit of other types of plastic bags stashed for recycling/reusing---now they look like crafting supplies to me!

I decided to learn a new craft this year and thought the prospect of working with plarn would be a good opportunity to finally learn how to crochet.  I am a life-long knitter and think people are usually mostly knitters or mostly crocheters and, being a fan of knitting, I've had a resistance to learning how to crochet.

Time to let that (and other things I resist) go.

So I found a couple of videos (here is a good one on how to make plarn):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EnR6JMe1Jc

 and set out to making a mess on my kitchen table.

(I did practice FIRST on actual YARN before taking my newly acquired crochet skills to plastic.  I was surprised how easy it was to learn, but then I'm not doing anything fancy either....yet!).

I decided my project should be a large shopping bag, which would be both ironic (making a shopping bag out of bags that are already shopping bags) and practical and I wanted something that was big enough and sturdy enough to use during the summer months at our local farm market (oh I am missing the farm market right now!).

Making the plarn is fast and easy and I ended up just attaching the loops as I went, finding that to be a nice rest for my hands/wrist from crocheting and also allowing me to select colors as I go (vs. doing a bunch of them ahead of time and creating a ball of plarn).



Take ordinary store bags (or other plastic bags) and fold the bag into quarters lengthwise and snip into desired widths, trimming off the end of the bag and the handle area.  I made my strips about 1.5 inches wide (for firmer plastics, like the outer bags that carrots or household items come in, I cut the strips more narrow for ease of crocheting and to minimize bulk).







You can either attach as you go or make a long strip of the loops and roll into a ball like conventional yarn.




I didn't use a pattern but followed the basic instructions on a few youtube channels I watched.  There are many ideas out there using plarn.  (Here is a channel with several projects https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbDk5kccvZngIc99bD0_d-4cIoMK6NiZ9 ).

I started by chaining 32 stitches to get to the desired length of the bottom of my bag and then single crocheted to get the desired width of the base of the bag.  I turned the work at each end, chaining one chain stitch, before turning.



Here the bottom of the bag is beginning to shape up.

After I got the size I wanted, I began single crocheting around the edges to build up the sides.  (Double-crochet would produce a more 'airy' bag, but I wanted something tighter and more solid and also wanted more practice with single crochet).



As I began using up all of my 'stash' of regular plastic bags, I began seeing potential everywhere!  A brussel sprouts bag from Trader Joe's, the huge outer plastic that the t.p. I purchase in volume from Costco comes in, and so on.  I never realized just how much plastic I do add to the trash even when I avoid using the regular plastic shopping bags.



As I previously mentioned, working with these thicker ply plastics is a bit harder and stands out a bit on the bag, but I soon figured out that some of this tendency can be minimized by simply cutting those plastic loops more narrow, about 1/2 inch worked well for me.  I don't mind the way it looks as to me this is more about finding a use for these plastics than anything else.

The bag is taking shape.  I wanted a large bag, and wanted handles that could take the weight and use I plan for this bag.  I found some cording in my craft box and used it to reinforce the top few inches of the bag by adding the cording in with the plastic.

I used this same process to construct the handles.

One strap ready to be attached:

I attached the handles/straps by "sewing/weaving" them into the inside of the bag using the cording and some thinner strips of the plarn.  It seems to be relatively sturdy but time and use will tell. 
                                                              



 


                                          

Happy plarning! 

Sue in cold, cold Ohio

Tahini Treats

I found a new treat from a you-tuber I've been watching lately --- what an explosion of youtubers there are now!  And there is a entire vegan/plant-based community of sorts on You Tube, (complete with DRAMA, like we don't have enough of that in the world already---but hey, we all need to express ourselves I suppose)---  anyway, it is nice to have additional resources for recipes, health tips, etc.)

The particular you-tuber I am referencing is named Miles...and his channel is Healthy Crazy Cool.  You can see his post for "Chocolate Caramel Tahini Bombs" here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yfGPKLZAHs&t=11s 

I quite enjoy Miles because he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously, is a bit of cheeky sort prone to sarcasm (who doesn't love that) and occasionally posts some fun food tips that I find interesting.  Because of watching his channel, I now incorporate more tahini into my diet, something I was trying to do anyway.

In case you don't want to watch all of Miles' post, here is the quick and dirty on these very delicious treats.

You need:

Medjool Dates
Dark Chocolate
Tahini
Optional toppings:  Chopped pistachios, coconut, chopped cashews, raw cacao nibs or others

-Pit the dates.


-Stuff the dates with tahini.

 

-Freeze until the tahini solidifies (approx 20 minutes)


-Dip the dates in melted dark chocolate (or drizzle the chocolate onto the dates).

-At this point either dip or roll the dates into any toppings or sprinkle the toppings on or skip the toppings and refrigerate to help harden the chocolate.

These would make great Valentine's Day treats or just a nice treat for an energy boost mid-afternoon.

Sue, munching deliciousness, in Ohio

What we focus on, we get more of.....

I've needed a couple of days to 'sit' with the results of the election and now the firing of Jeff Sessions, the revoking of Acosta's press pass and the various ugliness that exists and seems to flourish unabated in this divisive political climate.

I felt a bit depressed in the early a.m. hours Wed and especially so in looking over the elections results in my home state of Ohio.

I look at the road ahead of us and the vast distance we have to travail to get to some point of sanity, of decency, to reach a point where we can progress and move forward and address the many issues in this country and not uselessly expend our energies on dealing with the circus, and the hatred, bigotry, sexism and yes, even fascism that seems to be the new status quo.

But this morning I am turning away from all of those troubling challenges and instead am focusing on Lauren Underwood.

Who is Lauren Underwood? I am sure my Illinois resident friends are aware of her as are those who have looked for the significant stories and huge victories that are floating adrift in the Sea of Disappointment.

Lauren Underwood won her race....a licensed nurse in her state upset over the turning tide in this country took on a firmly entrenched Rep. candidate and won.

Lauren represents the Sea of Change in this country. There are other stories like hers and we are making inroads and the message is clear: Hatred and Fear are powerful emotions, but they are not, and should not be, good strategies for leadership.

Many millions of people voted for change, voted for hope, voted for positive leadership.

If you have a minute, read a bit about Lauren and let's celebrate her victory.

https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/lauren-underwood-wins-illinois-14th-congressional-district/1a38e325-0473-4bdc-9445-2d7e094b8230 Sue, finding the positive, in Ohio Note: originally written 14 Nov 2018, but not published until 30 Jan 2019.

Time to Vote

In 1972, I voted for the first time. I was among the first group of American citizens allowed to vote at age 18 (before that, one had to be 21--- laws were changed in part due to the heavy draft of 18, 19 and 20 year olds who could be tapped to serve and die in VietNam but were not permitted to vote). I was actually 17, but was permitted to vote in November since my 18th birthday was in December that same year.

I remember how proud I was to vote and how excitedly I did my research on the candidates and issues at hand, how prepared I felt to go into the booth and exercise my right, a right my grandmother did not have until her mid 20's.

Much has happened since those days and I've become cynical about a great many things, politics among them, as many of my social media contacts are painfully aware.

But, I usually had hope that we were moving forward, at least in some areas, chief among them women's rights, human rights.

I wept when, here in the U.S., we elected our first African-American to the highest office, even though I disagreed with him on some of his environmental policies.

I wept too at the thought that we might elect our first woman president and I might live to see it, even though I disagreed with her on a few of her ideologies and past decisions.

I was stunned, shocked and dismayed when I saw the results of the 2016 election and the turbulence that has followed since as we have entered the age of the Twitter-in-Chief and are continuously bombarded with outlandish statements, each one more offensive than the last and fear-mongering which incites violence, hatred and heightened anxiety.

Now, as we approach the November 2018 mid-term elections, I fear we are at an important crossroad....one where almost our very basic freedoms and rights and even the defining qualities of what it means to be human are on the line.

I have many international contacts on my social media accounts and I watch their reactions to the ridiculous circus our Executive Branch has become....I have no answers for them.

I have to limit my exposure to the whirlwind of hate-speak and clear racist/sexist sentiments being spouted for fear of ending up in a constant state of unshakable nausea.

I have heard statements uttered that have rendered me speechless and cut me to the bone, and left me wondering what world there will be for my beautiful grand-daughter.

But I have hope.

These mid-term elections have already set records for early voting...33 million is a number I have heard.

Over 120 women are running for seats in the House.

We could have a Muslim-American woman, a Palestinian-American woman, a Native-American woman and even a brash 29 year old woman bringing their diverse and fresh ideas to the 'old boys' club'.

America's diversity and willingness to embrace the out-liers has ALWAYS been our strength. The efforts to make everyone the same and keep out anyone different, to 'purify' has always failed....in genetics it is disastrous to 'breed for recessive traits'.  We NEED diversity to thrive even on a biological level.

With the challenges ahead of us, we need all of our ideas, our diverse cultures and above all, CLEAR-HEADED thinking, to flourish in these times, and by flourish, I don't mean continuing to line the pockets of those at the top standing on the backs of those at the bottom. America does not need to be the next pyramid scheme.

Wouldn't it be amazing if the youth of today and the WOMEN of today and the Hispanics, the African-Americans, the Independents, all joined together in a spirit of unity and took this country back?

"Imagine all the people living life in peace". ~John Lennon.
Wouldn't it be amazing?

I will vote Tuesday.  I will exercise my right and hopefully a message is sent to Washington.  Enough.  The time for change is now.

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Since very early this year I have been on a nutritional quest and have been researching up a storm in an attempt to tweak my predominately whole-food plant-based diet and ensure I'm getting all the nutrients I need as I age into my 60's, and (hopefully) beyond.

I'm using a variety of sources, evidence-based advice, nutritionists, and my personal experience to guide me.  I hope to summarize my findings thus far as I begin to pick up writing again here on the blog.

Peace,
Sue, voting in Ohio

 

A Tale of Two Weddings

July was the month of weddings for us.  We had two to attend; one for the son of life-long friends and the other for our niece.

The first wedding was very traditional, and I have grown accustomed to these affairs not being very 'vegan friendly'.  I plan to eat a late lunch on the day of the event, and pack a snack to have in the car after the event.  Usually there is SOMEthing I can snack on though, some plain lettuce or a plain potato, but this event was strictly non-vegan.  Every single potential food source had been made unhealthy and inedible by me.

I had hopes when a large salad bowl was passed around to dig in the bottom of it and by-pass the thick helpings of sliced cheddar cheese, but the cheese covered practically every piece of lettuce.  I found one of the wait staff and pulled her aside to ask if there was possibly a bag of lettuce without the cheese in the kitchen somewhere, but she quickly (and not very politely) dismissed me with a curt "no".

I surveyed the buffet line and was excited to see a large vat of green beans, but then quickly saw that the beans were covered in bacon and glistened with some kind of oil.

So, I spent the evening awkwardly at my table while those around me ate a 5 course meal and I had my empty plate and my iced tea.

It was really an interesting experience though, as I noted the LACK of upset I had at the event.  I truly don't expect others to cater to me, but had thought possibly our society had evolved a bit and that maybe there would be something for those not wishing to ingest animal products, some fresh fruit or fresh veggies.  Still, even with the mild awkwardness of not eating, I enjoyed myself, centered my attention on the happy newlyweds, enjoyed conversation with people I had not seen in a long time and realized that this is the price of standing for what I believe in, for being true to my commitment to my health, my body and my ideals, and it truly is who I am.  Somehow that was far more filling than anything I could have put on my plate.

Fast forward a short 2 weeks later and we found ourselves at a 2-day wedding affair for our niece, who was marrying a man from India.  The two had decided to combine cultures and had set out to try to interlace as much of the Indian culture and traditions as they could into their ceremonies.  We had an entire dinner and celebration the night before the wedding, with family and close friends.  I was excited to find a huge bowl of salad WITH NO CHEESE!  I was set for the evening.  (There was Indian food available, but I wasn't sure of ingredients and really was fine with a huge salad, so didn't bother anyone to inquire about ingredients).  It was a great experience and there was loud Indian music that was very entertaining and off the beaten path of my musical tastes.  I loved being exposed to a bit of a different culture.

The next evening was the main event which was beautiful and fascinating in so many ways.  I again went into it with no expectations for food, but did notice as the buffet was being set up a small card with a "V" on it close to one of the heated containers of food.

When our table was called up to go through the line, I approached one of the servers behind the table and asked her if the "V" was for vegetarian or vegan.  She said that the "V" is vegetarian and that the vegan dishes are labeled 'vegan'.

VEGAN DISHES?????

I tried to control myself, but asked, you mean there are vegan dishes?  She gave me a quizzical look and said, 'well, of course!'

She proceeded to take me down through the containers of food and pointed out the first vegan dish...I looked further down to see FIVE vegan selections!  And actually, there were six because there was a bowl of plain spinach available.





(Pic of my plate at the wedding)








Now I suppose the vast selection of vegan foods was mainly because of the Indian cuisine influence, but I still am choosing to believe that times are changing and here in the west we are beginning to break free of the unhealthy traditions that have contributed in no small measure to the growing health crisis of this country.  And this change can't come soon enough!

Sue in Ohio

Tools - It's All About the Apps, the Apps, the Apps.

I recently moved past my 8th year of being vegan.  Yeah!  I continue to work to achieve maximum health and wish to age well via a whole food plant-based diet, and with this goal in mind,  I make education on current applicable research and emerging tools a priority.

I haven't jumped into the Fit-Bit craze as I view it as just-one-more-thing I would have to remember to wear and already feel encumbered by my smart phone (why do they keep getting bigger?!?!?), but I did, nonetheless, want to track my daily steps having recently embarked on a 'ramp-up' of my exercise routine. 

Enter a nifty (does anyone say 'nifty' anymore?  Probably not.)  little app:
Pedometer Step Counter.

There are many step counting apps out there and I've used a couple of others that worked well but here are the things I am liking currently about this app: 

Accuracy.  It seems more accurate to my steps than other apps I've used. 
Goal-Setting Ease.  It's very simple to change the goal you have and it even suggests a new goal if I meet my goal early.
Works with my Phone.  My phone is almost always in my pocket anyway, so no extra device is needed.
Informative Chart.  There is a nice chart/report that I can view that easily will give me distance info, time, etc. which I find helpful for motivation.
Cuteness.  While this isn't really a big factor for me, I do like the bright pink feet icon that makes it easy to turn on in the morning (something I sometimes forget to do) and there are cute little celebratory images that pop up when I hit my goal or set a new record.

The only 'down' side I have found thus far is that I do have to remember to turn it on or off (can save battery by pausing it, but then have to remember to un-pause it), but to complain about that seems just silly.  It's a nice little app, is free and accomplishes its purpose.



Cronometer.
For at least a year or more I've been wanting to track my nutrient intake.  I don't want to just have the macros, i.e. fats, carbs, protein, I want the MICROs.  There are several nutrients that I need to focus on as I age that correlate directly to bone health, avoidance of sarcopenia (muscle loss with aging) and since we have it beat into our heads that we need to watch protein, I want this stat to arm myself on my annual visit to my (non-plant-based) physician, and the cronometer app reports not only protein, but breaks it out by amino acid.  Cool.

Like most apps, cronometer.com has a free version and a premium one.  I am getting all I need with their free version.  I can put in my foods individually and can also upload brands or specific items by photographing the QR code (you know, that square code that looks like a maze from a kids' puzzle book).  It can be a bit time-consuming, especially when first starting out, but it is very user friendly, doesn't have a lot of quirks and I now discipline myself into tracking my food at least 4 days a week. Having to put in each individual item can be a bit of a hassle, but it is worthwhile and can uncover some nutritional deficiencies, and confer a potential added benefit of being really accountable for what is eaten in a day, both in terms of not over-eating and in working to get enough of the nutrients we really do need.

I haven't used the cronometer app for weight-loss but since calories consumed is shown prominently, I do glance at that, and have actually lost some weight. (I think that is more a factor of me working to really clean up my diet, avoid all processed foods and work to get some key cruciferous foods in daily---see future blog post coming soon).

I also like that I can manually change the nutrient target values (don't assume that the pre-set ones are right for you!), raising or lowering them to tailor what my needs are (or what the latest research is showing).  Here is a screen shot from a day this week:

Stitcher.com  I listen to at least one, usually more, podcasts per day and have found Stitcher to be a mostly reliable app.  (I occasionally find it slow to update one or two of my favorite podcasts, but it seems to be the same podcasts so that could be a problem with the way they are formatted or uploaded).
I like that I can go forward or backward in 30 second increments to avoid some ads, (sorry Rich Roll!  I do listen occasionally to the ads!), or to get a repeat on a particularly compelling piece of information. 
I am amazed at the number of plant-based pod-casts that are available now and the number of really good self-improvement ones as well.  I'll do a future blog post with my favorites, but here are two newer podcasts I am really enjoying:

PlantProof.  Plant proof is put out by Simon Hill and he's set up a nice web-site you can find here:  https://plantproof.com/  What I really like about Simon (besides his lovely accent) is that he works to have EVIDENCE-BASED information on his podcast.  There are far too many conflicting ideas these days and it is easy to get lost in the myriad of 'experts' that are spewing often self-serving information.  I also like the way Simon summarizes and highlights the key points as the pod-cast is going on, which helps me retain the information.  Check out episode 17 for a very indepth discussion of gut health as Simon interview Dr. William Bulsiewicz.

Vegains.  It is impossible not to smile as I listen to Ferdinand Beck's cheery voice.  I find his German accent as charming as I do his infectious personality.  He has an active youtube channel as well.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC_Cn4fuD9s   I like the inspiration to do some weight-training I get from Vegains and his partner has a nice food-oriented youtube channel as well....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCUvP2ta-PU  Scorpion Mind.

(Just in case someone reading this has not ever listened to Rich Roll's podcast, I need to mention it here.  By far my favorite podcast of any type, Rich goes the distance ---pun intended---and continues to put up a quality product with highly relevant guests and topics.  I've been listening since he started and his evolution is fascinating and inspiring.  www.richroll.com.  Read Finding Ultra if you haven't read his story.)

Hope this helps.  To your health!

Sue in Ohio

Where is My America? - and a yummy dessert

This is a post I put up on my FaceBook page today to express some thoughts I had on the 'day after the day after'. 10 November, referring, of course to our presidential election in the U.S.  I was surprised to see that a few of my friends shared it on their pages and since I have been neglectful of this blog, thought I would post it here; possibly someone else will find interest in it.

Since my focus has been on food on this blog, (and since we could all use a little bit of a treat following this difficult week, month, year), I'm sharing a recipe I adapted from The Happy Pear.  I hope you will enjoy both....

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Where is my America? (Warning: long. You might want to go watch a video of cute puppies instead).

Yesterday I spent most of the day reeling from the realization that a man that represents fundamentally everything I hate about the corporate status quo, the male-ego-driven power mongers and the intrinsically unfulfilled sexist bullies of the world, was elected to the most powerful position in our country, if not the world. It felt like a sucker punch, a kick in the deepest part of my heart and I could not help but grieve for something that I felt was within our grasp and yet snatched from us at the last moment.

I was not alone; one of my dearest friends even wore black yesterday, in mourning. Black; yes, that is what it feels like. Dark, no light, no hope.

This morning I am feeling a little bit differently. I am seeing demonstrations across America; a passion brewing that I haven't seen since we protested the Vietnam war or since we burned our bras to symbolize to the then bullies that we women are a force that will not be ignored and we WILL be heard.

Maybe this is what it takes to galvanize change. Maybe we need to put a junk-yard dog of a bully into the highest office and give him the nuclear codes and live with that hanging over our collective heads to get real in this country.

We need change. The powers that be are running our planet into extinction and are failing to do their sworn duties. They continue to cater to their own best interests and look away from the bigger picture.

Out of the ashes that this election has created, perhaps a strong Independent Party will finally emerge. Maybe a true Democratic party will create itself. Maybe those of us who have now been forced to see that perhaps fully 50% of our country is actually racist, sexist and white supremacist, (something we kind of sort of already knew, now didn't we!!!?) will make our little inroads into these archaic ideologies that only serve to demean the people on the other side of the prejudice. (I swear Trump's campaign really wanted to be: Make America White again).

Guess what, Mr. Old Guard White guy, America isn't the America from 1950 and wasn't all that 'great' then either. It's too late to go back. Women have rights. Gays have rights. Our country has always been a melting pot of cultures, genetic diversity and religious freedom. This is a source of strength, not a disease you need to deport or wipe out. There isn't any 'greatness' to go back to.

And you are not the first bully to try to push us around. I got chills when Michelle Obama spoke about how we know you. Yes, we do. There isn't a single one of us who hasn't had to deal with somebody somewhere who decided that they were better equipped to run our lives than we were. No, we aren't going back to the America you want again, where gays hide in closets and women freshen their lipstick and straighten their slips and wait on you hand and foot, spread their legs on command and bow to you.

So, where is my America? It has never been where I have looked for it. It is only there waiting for me to create. To the degree that I can surround myself with those that also believe that the individual matters, that she or he has rights, that personal expression and diversity make us strong.....up until the point where it becomes so divisive that it breaks us down......to surround myself with these visionary individuals and build them up to the best of my ability, while making it CRYSTAL CLEAR to those who would snatch my rights away that NO, THAT IS NOT OKAY, is to create my America, my true family, my strength.

I'm not going to Canada, or Japan or Australia, or even taking a very tempting offer of a place to stay in New Zealand, although the reaching out to me from my international friends over the last 30 hours or so has touched me in such an intimate way; I thank all of you for that loving extension of support. The world cares, and is watching. Because this is a more important issue than geography....this is human rights.....this is women's rights.....this is the freedom FROM tyranny....and that is what America was founded on....not some playground for a bully to get rich on and just use until it is used up.

I'm not leaving because America needs me. It needs you. If all of us that believe the individual matters leave, then who will be here to balance the forces of sexism, discrimination and hatred?

Stay. I know you are hurt. I know you want to leave. I know you want to immerse yourself in a bag of Doritos and double-chocolate rocky road (vegan) ice cream. Go ahead and do what it takes to mend yourself, but I need you to be here now more than ever. Make your voices heard. Let's find a way to work together, yes, even with those who want to cut us off at the knees.....why do we have to take the high road? WHY IS IT ALWAYS THE ONE OPPRESSED THAT HAS TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD????

Because we can and they can't.

It's a new day and we have been through worse than this. Some of you aren't old enough to remember, but trust me.....this isn't the worst.....come on. We can do it. Show them your strength. Show them your true spirit and your beautiful colors.

With love and determination.
S

-------------------------

Determination Dessert

I based this off of the Happy Pear's 'Chocolate Lasagne' dessert.  It is 3 layers:  a crust, a filling and a topping.  It goes together fairly quickly, depending on the equipment you have.  I used a small food processor for the crust and pre-soaked the dates to aid the blending process.

Crust:

   large Medjool Dates (approx. 8 soaked in water, save water)

   raw walnuts (1/4 c)

   raw sunflower seeds (1/2 c)

   raw cashews (1/4 c)

   pinch vanilla powder

   (Note:  quantities are estimated as I never measure and I keep adding what I need more of, wet or dry, to get a consistency that will press down well into the bottom of a pie plate, custard cups or decorative muffin tins---nice for making individual servings)

  

   Blend in processor.  Add small amount of date water as needed.  Press into bottom of suitable dish.

Filling:

  

Medjool Dates (approx 2, soaked)

1 T coconut oil

peanut butter (approx 1/2 c - or other nut butter)

1T maple syrup

pinch vanilla powder

1/2 c unsweetened coconut

Blend in processor.  Add date water as needed.  Layer on top of crust.  Place in refrigerator.

Topping:

(Note: pre-chill a can of coconut cream or coconut milk to make this work)

1 can of coconut cream, pre-chilled in refrigerator overnight-scoop out solid portion.

Drizzle of maple syrup

pinch of vanilla powder

Whisk by hand in bowl until fluffy and smooth.

Dollop on top of filling layer.  

Dark Chocolate bar.  Microplane or grate on top of cream.  Keep refrigerated until serving.

{Link to the Happy Pear's more elaborate dessert is here:  https://thehappypear.ie/recipe/ultimate-chocolate-lasagne-vegan}

  

Sue, determined, in Ohio

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.