Sunday, January 29, 2012

Vegetarian Lunch with Friends

Our friends, Jay and Mary, came over Saturday.  We shared lunch and had a most enjoyable visit.  Mary brought vegetarian Hominy Chili and some crackers she made from won ton wrappers.  I served raw Veggie Fajitas, Salsa, Nut Cheeses (sour cream and cheddar sauce), Avocado, Romaine Lettuce leaves, and Walnut Coconut Fudge.  We splurged and opened a bottle of red wine and made a pot of organic Assam Estate tea and a pot of coffee.
Travis, Jay and Mary sitting around the table.  
Salsa
3 tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 chili pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp. lime juice (I used lemon juice)
Stir together.  Chill.
Salsa


Sour Cream Nut Cheese
3/4 cup raw cashews
3/4 cup finely shredded coconut
1/2 cup water
Juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp salt 
Blend all in high speed blender until creamy.  You can add more water if necessary to get the consistency you want.
Sour Cream Nut Cheese

Cheddar Sauce Nut Cheese
1 red bell pepper
2-3 Tbsp water
1 cup cashews
2-1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp tahini
2 tsp onion powder
1 large clove garlic
Juice of one lemon
Blend all in high speed blender until creamy.  Add more water if necessary.
Cheddar Sauce Nut Cheese
For supper I ate some of the leftover walnut-coconut fudge and some pecans.

Indulging in food and drink as I did today has a price.  (It was wonderful to share the time and fellowship with our friends around the table!)  It's my experience, though, that I feel negative effects the next day after this type of eating.  It saps the reserve energy and puts a burden on the body.  Even the more gourmet raw foods seem to affect me negatively.  There is nothing like the simple foods that we eat every day. They supply what is necessary and sufficient.

One of the most important rules of health is to restore energy by getting enough sleep and rest.  Sleeping in a dark, quiet room is best. I think I'll go to bed early tonight!

We all know that outdoor activity is beneficial.  Sun, air, proper food, exercise, rest and relaxation, and a tranquil mind are the essentials of a hygienic life.  So I am going to get out in the open air tomorrow!

To health and happiness.





Saturday, January 28, 2012

Farmers Market and Estate Sale

It's a cold winter day...30 degrees outside.  That's too cold for me to want to get outside and walk.  Instead, I stayed inside and worked on the garden plan some more.

We are having friends over for lunch on Saturday.  The dessert will be Walnut Coconut Fudge,  I've shared this simple recipe before, but here it is again.  It is so quick and easy and delicious.  It's definitely not Ninja eating.  But it's a treat.

Walnut Coconut Fudge
3 cups walnuts
2 cups coconut
1/2 cup carob or cacao powder
5/8 cup agave nectar.
Mix all together in the food processor.  Spread in pan and refrigerate...(or not)...I did not refrigerate mine.

Here I am making the walnut coconut fudge.

Walnut Coconut Fudge - The finished product.


Travis made our green smoothies with arugula, apples, bananas, lemon juice, dates, passion fruit, and water.

Lunch was green smoothie, orange, avocado, and goody ball.

Friday is farmer's market day here.  We bought a pint of honey for $6.00, 1 quart of shelled pecans for $8.00, and 3 lbs. of greenhouse tomatoes for $8.00.  The tomatoes were not grown hydroponically.  I was happy to learn that they were grown in dirt with compost and manure and no chemicals or pesticides.
Farmers market purchases...tomatoes, honey and pecans.

We love to buy at estate sales and garage sales.  It is a great way to recycle.  The best finds of the day were an antique coffee grinder, a Braun citrus juicer, an antique wooden salad bowl, and a Maurice Loirand print.
Here is Travis trying out the antique coffee grinder.  It works great.
I love the Maurice Loirand print.  It's perfect for my French country decor.

Finds of the day...citrus juicer, wooden salad bowl, coffee grinder, paring knives, blue and white check napkins, books, collectible ashtray and shoe horn.

I prepared Raw Veggie Fajitas to serve at our lunch tomorrow.  The recipe was posted on the 1/23/12 posting.

Dinner was veggie cocktails (carrots, celery, beets, and broccoli stalks); green salad (leftover from Wednesday); lemon juice and olive oil dressing; sauerkraut, goody ball, and cashews.

Other food purchases today...habenero peppers and organic romaine lettuce for a total of $6.49.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Brown Bag

Sleep is the normal process of life.  It's a time of construction and building.  It represents recuperation.  The good of all exercise is developed in rest.  Rest and stuffing do not go together.  Rest and fasting or a low diet are complimentary to each other.  - From The Quintessence of Natural Living by Keki Sidhwa

The book "How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavers has inspired me to do some garden planning.  Victory Seeds on line says our average last frost date here in Arkansas is April 8.  According to this book, we should sow seeds in flats around Feb 27.  It tells how many seeds to sow to practice biointensive agriculture on tiny acreage.  In my case, I will sow on Feb 27, 8 broccoli seeds, 8 brussels sprouts, 16 cabbages, 4 cauliflower, 48 celery, 28 head lettuce, 48 leaf lettuce, 8 parsley, and 18 tomato seeds.  How exciting!

The Thursday meeting of the minds took place at our house yesterday.  Travis and his friends, Karl and Arthur, meet for lunch almost every Thursday.  They sit around the table and have the most interesting discussions for several hours.  It's always a joy to get to sit in on part of the discussion from time to time.  Yesterday, they had lunch at Brown Bag, a restaurant near our house.  I got to tag along.  Karl and I had the Greek Salad.  Travis and Arthur chose less healthy options.  Karl is serious about improving his health.  He doesn't fool around with his food choices.  When we returned home Karl had one of our organic avocados, a passion fruit, and some goody balls.  I had some nuts.

Travis, me, Karl and Arthur
So many people I know are starting to show an interest in growing food.  Arthur and Karl are both planting small gardens this year.

The mung beans are finished sprouting.
Mung Beans.  To the left is a fish I made in Australia from coconut leaves.
Dinner was grapefruit with honey, avocado, banana with sesame butter, and cashews.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Mini-Farming

Wednesday was a rainy day, and I was still not feeling very good from Tuesday evening's tummy ache.  It would have been a good day to stay in the pajamas, but I didn't.   Since it was too rainy to walk, I spent the morning doing domestic chores.  I stripped my bed, washed the comforter, and changed the sheets.  Cleaning out clutter in the master bedroom is where the focus is this week, including some books from the bookshelves.  Some books got listed to sell.   Others went into the garage to sell at a garage sale.

Travis made us green smoothies for lunch.  Lunch was Green Smoothies (arugula, grapes, bananas, lemon juice, passion fruit and water);  Melon (watermelon for me, honeydew for Travis); Organic Orange;  Avocado; Avocado.

The afternoon was study time.  I am studying the skin in the anatomy lesson of the course I study.  I practiced the flute.  I am working so hard to learn the flute ensemble music as well as working to improve my tone and technique.  I listened to a French lesson on Rosetta Stone.

Today was a no shopping day.  I don't think we bought anything today!

It was enjoyable to prepare the food for dinner tonight.  Dinner was Veggie Cocktail (carrot, celery, beet, red bell pepper); Green Salad (romaine, mushrooms, Roma tomato, green onion, radish, cucumber); Salad Dressing (lemon juice, olive oil, amino acids, honey, Bragg's seasoning);  Avocado;  Steamed Broccoli;  Goody Balls;  Walnuts.

We have a new book called How to Grow More Vegetables (and fruits, nuts, berries, grains, and other crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine by John Jeavons.  It is about sustainable mini-farming.  The most important thing is to create soil rapidly and maintain sustainable soil fertility.

"Just grow one small area, and do it well.  Then, once you've got it right, grow more!  -Alan Chadwick

The book teaches how to grow most of a family's food, plant a mini-orchard in the front yard and begin an economic mini-farm.  The backyard homestead is something we can all do to revitalize ourselves, the soil, and the Earth.

Good health starts before conception.  It is important for young people to learn about the simple, natural life.  They get to determine whether the next generation is going to be stronger or weaker.

Tummy Ache

Lunch today was Walnuts;  Green Smoothie (grapes, arugula from garden, organic passion fruit, organic lemon juice,  organic date, and water);  Melon (watermelon for me, honeydew for Travis);  Pear;  Goody Ball; Avocado;  Cashews

For dinner we had Green Salad (leftover from last night);  Oil and Lemon Juice Dressing;  Avocado; Sauerkraut;  Cashews

We have a counter full of organic fruits from Barry Koral's Tropical Fruit Farm in California.

Passion Fruit

Meyer Lemons

Avocados
The sprouts are coming along good.
Mung Beans Sprouting
It was 29 degrees outside, so I exercised indoors with the yoga ball for about 30 minutes

There was not much outside time today.  Putting the window down while driving helped to breathe in some fresh air.

A package arrived today from Nuts. com.  Inside were 5 lbs. of cashews, 5 lbs. of medjool dates, and 5 lbs. of walnuts.  All raw.  All organic.  They sent a small package of organic gummy bears as a free gift.


Keki Sidwha in The Quintessence of Natural Living says to practice harmlessness toward your own self, your body...the temple of God. 

I started studying about the skin in the anatomy lesson.

Today was an all flute day.  The first flute lesson with Harriet was at 9:30.  The second flute lesson with Jackie was at 2:30.  Flute ensemble rehearsal was at 6:30.  

My stomach started hurting bad during flute ensemble rehearsal.  It hurt two weeks ago during flute ensemble rehearsal, too.   I wonder what is the cause?  I know I ate too many cashews, but I didn't have cashews before last rehearsal.  Maybe, I'm stressing a bit trying to learn this music.



Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Measuring Up

Principle #1:  Eat only raw food and drink only water.

Lunch:  Green smoothie (arugula from garden, organic apples, bananas, organic date, lemon juice, water)
            Melon (watermelon for me, honeydew for Travis)
            Organic grapefruit with raw honey
            Organic avocado from Barry Koral's Tropical Fruit Farm in California
            Goody ball



Lunch


Dinner:  Green salad (romaine, radish, green onion, mushrooms)
             Annie's Natural Salad Dressing - Roasted Red Pepper
             Lightly steamed cauliflower seasoned with butter
             Sauerkraut
             Two goody balls

Our friend, Karl, is eating healthy after getting a serious report from his doctor.  He has noticed how certain commercially grown foods are so loaded with chemicals that we should never eat them.  He and his wife, Rebecca, researched organic vs commercial and found this list of the most chemically laden foods.  It is best to always buy these organic....strawberries, celery, peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, nectarines, cherries, lettuce, grapes, and pears.  Have you noticed how beautiful commercially grown strawberries are?  And how tasteless?  And what a long shelf-life they have?  Organically grown strawberries will be juicy and will spoil in a couple of days.  You have to eat them quickly.

Which brings me to the tomato I had planned to put in our green salad for dinner.  Three vine ripened tomatoes have been sitting on my butcher block table for close to two weeks, yet they have not rotted.  Why is that?  I chopped one for the salad, and the inside looked mealy.  I put it in the compost bowl instead of the salad.

Principle #2:  Walk everyday, if possible.
Travis and I walked for 45 minutes...three times around our block.

Principle #3:  Be in the fresh air and sunshine every day.
Travis and I went to Walmart and bought two bags of hardwood mulch for $2.48 each and a bag of Ironite Mineral Supplement for Soil for $18.42 for our garden.  We are still looking for a place to buy rock dust, but so far have not found it.




Principle #4:  Avoid all stress and live in a beautiful, wholesome, calm environment.
I did some domestics...laundry, made bed, cleaned kitchen, mopped floor.  I listed some things to sell on-line.

Principle #5:  Pray, meditate, expect to be healed.  Learn and grow.
I had my morning prayer and devotion time; practiced flute, listened to French lesson on Rosetta Stone, and prepared and submitted my History of Nature Cure lesson on Dr. Benedict Lust to Dr. Fielder.

Self-Evaluation:
- The commercial salad dressing was not ideal.
- The butter was not organic or raw
- I should have walked another 15 minutes


Lessons of the Day:
Lord, bless our week.  May we be brave enough to fight for our ideals. - Paulo Coelho

You crown the year (2012) with Your goodness; and Your paths drop fatness.  - My paraphrase of Psalms 65:11.

God the Father has made us fit to partake of the saints in light.  He delivered us from the power of darkness.  And He has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son in whom we have redemption and forgiveness of sins.  Thank Goodness.  - My paraphrase of Colossians 1:12-14

Monday, January 23, 2012

Back in the Swing of Things

I have been under the weather since before Christmas.  Christmas Day I went to bed with a healing crisis.  It was perhaps pneumonia or bronchitis.  Dr. Fielder thinks I am still healing my lungs from smoking many years ago.  This healing started when I was in Australia.  Nevertheless, I went to bed and began to fast with Dr. Fielder's supervision.   After eight days of fasting, I began to have juices then graduated back to normal, healthy food.  Since then, I have rested and hibernated as much as possible to finish healing.   I am feeling much better now and ready to get back into the swing of things.

Living the simple, natural life is a little different on a city lot in a gated community than it is on a 350 acre off-the-grid farm in the bush of Australia.  My experiment is to see well how I can practice the lifestyle with the foods I have access to and what foods I will be able to grow on my lot.  The social pressures are different here, also.

Food I ate yesterday:

10:30  Goodie Ball
12:00  Raw fajita vegetables, steamed cabbage seasoned with butter, green salad (mostly iceberg lettuce), goodie ball, watermelon, raw jalepeno cheese
4:00  Steamed cabbage, sauerkraut, watermelon, nuts in shell
7:00 Popcorn popped in coconut oil and butter and seasoned with nutritional yeast (no salt)

I started a few mung beans sprouting.  I am trying a smaller amount because we have wasted some of the previous sprouts.  They weren't a total waste as we put them in the compost.

Recipe:

Raw Veggie Fajitas
Mushrooms, sliced
3 bell peppers, sliced in strips
1 zucchini, sliced in short strips
1 sweet onion, cut in half and sliced thin
1/4 cup Nama Shoyu or Tamari, or Bragg's Amino Acids
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
**Toss all together in a big bowl.  Marinate 2-12 hours.  Serve in romaine lettuce leaves with nut cheeses and salsa.

This recipe was good.  Even non-raw foodies liked it.  I'll post the "cheese" recipes later.

Yesterday was a cold, wintry, rainy day.  Travis and I picked up Mom and took her to church.  The only exercise I got yesterday was pushing her around in her wheel chair.  Mom had such a good time being at church.  It was her first time to attend in months.

Groceries we bought yesterday:  Watermelon from Mexico, Canteloupe and Honeydew from Guatemala, Smuckers Organic Creamy Peanut Butter

Travis has decided that coffee is a healthy drink.  He read an article in the health magazine they gave him at the health food store that cited a long list of research proving that coffee lowers your risk for many degenerative diseases.  He is looking for organic coffee now and is planning to order the polyphenol retaining coffee the article was promoting.  I'm not at all convinced that coffee is healthy.

The places where I feel like I missed the mark the most yesterday are:
* I ate a goodie ball too early in the day.
* There are possibly too many spices in the veggie fajitas for it to pass the Ninja test.
* The butter I seasoned with was not raw or organic.
* I ate too much food at the evening meal.
* Popcorn is not a food according to Dr. Fielder.
* I did not exercise enough.

My pastor taught us yesterday about nurturing our relationships.  Love needs to be tended if it is to grow.  It has to be important enough to us to work at it.

God loves us.  We can rest and be secure in God's love.  His love is everlasting.  He is faithful.  We don't have to be afraid of Him.  He has plenty of mercy.  He forgives.  He provides our needs.