Apple Ginger Juice

Apple Ginger Juice with Swiss Chard

This is fast becoming my favorite juice. It's also apple time around here and I try to use what's in

season. This has quite a kick thanks to the ginger, but you can add a smaller piece for a milder taste. Ginger is good for the digestion as it stimulates the digestive fluids, it aids with the alleviation of sinus and throat soreness, and it helps with absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients. Ginger is fast becoming the new garlic around here when I cook. I buy a large root from the produce stand, use the carrot peeler to take the skin off, then cut it into one inch pieces and freeze in a ziplock bag. It's much easier to grate frozen and I just pop a piece in the fridge a few hours before I want to juice it so it can thaw out a bit.

For two servings use:

2 large swiss chard leaves, stems and all (kale will work too, it's a stronger taste though)

1 large honeycrisp, pink lady, or granny smith

1 inch piece of ginger

Juice and drink!  

So Many Boxes

The choices we make can either keep us contained in a box or they can expand us until the box splinters and falls away. Each of us must own our choices and the fact that, if we are restricted by a box, we have only ourselves to blame. I sometimes feel there is more than one box surrounding me, like a Russian nesting doll. Just when I break out of one there is another one waiting, but sometimes I hesitate. It's as though a voice is whispering from within the box, “Don't leave, you're safe in here. Out there you might get hurt. They may prove you're really not ____________ (fill in the blank with your inadequicies)."

I recently bumped up against a wall of a box I thought I had splintered long ago. As I sat at Loyola Marymount University for a yoga function I noticed I was surrounded by cool, hip LA yogis. Then I heard the little voice whispering of my origins. I could ignore the whispering during the film and lecture section, sitting quietly and nodding my head. Later in the day, as I stepped onto my mat, the whispering became louder;

“What's a hick from small town Missouri doing at this amazing program? You're certainly going to be exposed now, you can't fake asana.”

For a fleeting moment I was certain that the amazingly famous and awesome yoga teacher (think Meryl Streep to the aspiring actor), who happened to be standing directly in front of me, would surely recognize me as a fraud. I pictured her signaling to an unseen yoga bouncer, pointing at me, and having me dragged away...only experienced, worldly yogis need apply.

I was overwhelmed, shocked that my old insecurity was still so powerful. I dropped to my knees, disguising my insecurtiy as simply a rest in balasana. I found my breath; long, full inhale, long, calming exhale, and the moment passed. Extending my arms, curling my toes under, I pressed back up into down dog, and glided back into the flow. Through my connection to body and breath, I had quelled my insecurities, if only fleeting.

I will continue to flow through my life mindful of the walls that surround me, doing my best to bring them down, and applying as much kindness as I can when the wall is too solid to topple...and then I'll try another day.    

Pasta with Spinach and Lemon Cream

Here in Redlands we have an abundance of citrus. At the height of lemon season it is not uncommon to have people begging you to take some of their lemons. When a Kansas City friend said she had a great, easy recipe featuring lemons I was all over it.  This has become a staple on busy work nights. Five ingredients to a delicious, healthy dinner. I use Barilla fortified pasta, we have sampled many pastas over the years and this is our families favorite. Sometimes I grill a chicken breast, slice it up, and then mix it in when adding the spinach.

Ingredients:
1 Box Barilla Plus, 11 oz.
4 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
3/4 cup sour cream
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
3 cups spinach-eyeball it. I normally use more.

*Bring water to boil and cook pasta.
*Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, sour cream, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.  
*When noodles are done drain and pour into sour cream mixture. Add spinach and mix until completely covered. You can serve this hot or cold. Feeds 6.

Korean Style Chicken and Green Bean Salad

 I invited Pete to take a walk with me last night for Kimchi. What is Kimchi and why did we walk to get it? Well, I had a new exotic recipe and it called for Kimchi, a spicy pickled cabbage that I hear is used like ketchup in Korea. I'm always game for a new recipe, seems like the farther out there the better, especially if I have a notion that it's healthy for us. We have a new Asian Market within walking distance, so I thought we would get our evening walk in and pick up this new and adventurous ingredient at the same time. I've been at this cooking game long enough that I normally have an idea as to the recipes outcome. The following recipe could have gone either way, but I was pleasantly surprised. This recipe is served cold, which is nice when the temperatures soar to oven heights. This recipe came from the most recent issue of Sunset Magazine, with my usual adjustments to suit our taste.

Korean Style Chicken and Green Bean Salad

1 lb. Fresh green beans

2 Tbl. spicy kimchi juice (from the jar), plus 1 cup chopped kimchi

½ tsp. Salt

1-2 Tbl. Asian chili paste

3 Tbl. canola oil

2 tsp. Rice vinegar

1large, skinless, boneless chicken breast, cooked, shredded, and cooled

1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half

½ cup roughly chopped cilantro

1. Blanche green beans, drain, set aside to cool.
2. In small bowl, whisk together oil, kimchi juice, salt, chili paste, and vinegar.
3. Place beans, chicken, chopped kimchi, tomatoes, and cilantro in a bowl. Gently toss with dressing.

For side dish serves 4. For main dish serves 2. As best I can tell, there is about 800 calories in this whole dish. So two servings is 400 calories or less each. 

Soft Ripples

It was a hard week. It started with some small stuff and then crescendoed into a major shit storm...then the dam burst. It felt as though something primordeal had been laying dormant within me and the time had come for it to make its presence known. I started screaming, gut wrenching, fist pounding, gasping for breath, screaming. It was surreal, hypnotic. Emotionally raw, ugly. I thought, for just a moment, that I might never stop screaming. I'm not sure how much time passed, but I did stop.

How long have I been fighting? I'm tired. I'm thouroughly and utterly exhausted.

As I lay on my bed spent, a bubble of thought arose:

I will stop fighting and let the waves wash over me like soft ripples.

I will stop fighting

I will let the waves wash over me

just

soft

ripples

and this is how I will step into my next chapter.

Spaghetti Squash with Greek Meatballs/ Swiss Chard with Bacon and Cannellini Beans

 I am always looking for new and innovative ways to use vegetables. Here are a couple of recipes that I have made in the last week using spaghetti squash and one that used up a big bunch of swiss chard that I had in the refrigerator. I have been cooking so many ethnic recipes lately that I decided to take a southern, homecooked meal approach to the swiss chard. The squash definitely would fall on the ethnic side of the menu though. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the squash and meatballs, but both Pete and I enjoyed these recipes. Bon Apetit!

Spaghetti Squash with Greek Meatballs (Meatball recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis)

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef (I used ground buffalo)

1 cup cooked and cooled couscous (I used whole wheat couscous)

3 scallions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 egg, at room temperature, beaten

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons dried mint (I cut the mint in half)

1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Sauce:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 (25-ounce) jar marinara sauce

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions

For the meatballs: In a large bowl, mix together the lamb, couscous, scallions, garlic, egg, parsley, olive oil, mint, oregano, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Form the mixture into 15 to 16 (2-inch diameter) meatballs.

For the sauce: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, cinnamon sticks, and ground cinnamon. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, turning occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Discard the cinnamon sticks.

Squash:

I whole spaghetti squash

Directions

Cut in half and hollow out the pulp. Place the squash in pan cut side down with a layer of water on the bottom of the pan. Cook in oven at 350 until tender, about 45 minutes. Once cooked use a large spoon to scoop out the squash and place in large bowl. Serve with meatballs and sauce on top of squash. I served this with a green salad and bread on side.

(Serves 4-6)

Swiss Chard with Bacon and Cannellini Beans/ Corn Muffins on the Side

Ingredients

Swiss Chard Mixture:

1 Tbl olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

1 large bunch of swiss chard

1 Tbl. Bragg's cider vinegar

1 Tbl. real maple syrup

½ tsp red pepper

1/3 cup water

4 pieces turkey bacon

1 can cannellini white beans, drained

1 package of corn muffin mix

Cook turkey bacon in a cast iron skillet. Remove and shred into bite size pieces, set aside. Leave fat in skillet and add onion, cook until soft. Add olive oil, water, and greens to the pan. After the greens cook down add the syrup, pepper, and vinegar. Mix well then add beans and bacon.

To make corn muffins follow package directions. I like to mix jalapenos into my muffins.

After the beans are heated through serve on top of corn muffins.

(Serves 2) 

Slowly, I'm Letting Go

I was talking to a friend last week about my jam-packed schedule and how exhausted I've been feeling this summer. As I ticked off the things that filled my month and barred me from a full day off she asked, “why did you schedule so much in July then?” Nothing like the frankness of a Canadian to get you thinking.

As I pondered my propensity for all or nothing (it has been all of late), it also occurred to me that my physical health is not optimum right now either. For a week I've had a dull ache in my belly, my neck is all jacked up, and I've been discreetly picking my cuticles. This morning, as the the light bled through the window covering, I got still and listened...what I found was fear. I think my overscheduling has been an avoidance tactic and this uneasy feeling is directly tied to fear for my child's safety. I have this notion, unconscious until now, that if I keep Jayne under our roof she will be safe. The reality is she is eighteen and going to college, and I have to let go now. I know this is a rite of passage that all parents must go through, I just wish I had a few more years with her at home. Pete and I have done our best to guide her fairly, honestly, and lovingly, and our hope is that she will allow these principles to guide her as she heads off to college. Now we must find our faith.

We are stewards of our children. It's our job to love them, teach them right from wrong, show them how to commune with the world around them, and then send them out into that world to flourish. To paraphrase Hermann Hesse, some think holding on makes you strong; but sometimes it is letting go. I'm getting closer to letting go.