Sunday musing, still accusing.

Restless mess and in distress.

Come by now and hear the plow.

Once is grass and never mass.

Blue is you and holy art thou.

Crutch and craze, wild amaze.

Such is that and point to joint.

Love this aqua, hate your fate.

Climb the green and fill the hill.

Garden to roam and trust we must.

Live the life and die on top.

Hell is here and watch the drop.

Jump no more and hear the score.

For the weather is better, the morels, stored.

The Portulacas, zinnias, basil and dahlias are close to concluding their stay in the garden this season.  Still reaping benefits but quickly going to seed, reminding me of the life cycle and how a garden brings the essence of existence to my attention at an incredible close and personal view.  

To garden is to sow seeds of hope, water with a nurturing heart and enjoy the fruits of a cooperative labor of love between you and mother earth.

Picked up some organic sunburst or pattypan squash and wondered what to do with it.  

I decided to chop it up and sauté it with some organic onions, loosely chopped as well and then see what would happen next.  I used organic ghee and organic coconut oil.  I crushed and sprinkled in tons of dried thyme from my garden.Next, I added chopped up kale from my veggie garden, seasoned with Cecilia’s salt and stirred it up some more.  I felt I needed a protein with chewy, adaptable taste and added Melissa’s natural/no gmo/no preservatives French lentils.  After test tasting again, I chose to add some fresh lemon juice and let the flavors meld a bit more, covered.

I pan seared wild caught Alaskan cod with ghee and dried sage from our herb garden.

And together the fish complimented the vegetable combination well.  The cod was buttery and seasoned rather strongly, making it a match for the lemony veggies demanding attention of their own.  My daughter pointed out it reminded her of our family heirloom recipe, Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice) with the lentils taking the rice role in texture and flavor.  With eighteen grams of protein per serving, the lentils also stand in nicely for the chicken.

Bon Provecho

Here’s inspiration!!!  My BFF sent me culinary grade lavender flowers and a lavender cookbook.  Look for pictures and reviews in the future!Lavender flowers I collected from garden about two weeks ago.I have them hanging upside down by my workspace, tied at the bottom, so as to allow the oils to accumulate towards the blooms.

Lemon lavender cookies with Lavender tea?

The last two days have been atypical of my summer eating habits.  I have been eating very clean and well but this weekend was an exception, and I am paying for it.  I made some unhealthful choices and regret it.  I ate mindlessly.  It didn’t help to have my daughter V make her famous homemade chocolate croissants (from scratch), a delectable caramelized onion and brie quiche (from scratch) and organic carrot loaf (from scratch).  All these were healthful but sooooo incredible that I ate too much.  Then add an evening out on the town, a birthday party/bar b q and you have a ‘recipe’ for disaster.

Here’s a look at what a typical day this summer looks like when I am thinking clearly, cleanly and lovingly.  May I return to my good senses.

Breakfast:Organic egg over easy with 1 teaspoon of organic coconut oil, heirloom zebra tomatoes from the garden and organic raw onion rings (dehydrated) with a cup of organic coffee and organic coconut milk.

Lunch:Pasta with organic tomato sauce, basil, garlic and parmesan.  Followed by some fruit with yogurt or coconut milk… or organic raw nuts with raw chocolate.

Organic decaf coffee and water, Perrier or tea throughout the day.

Dinner:Wild caught shrimp sauteed with organic garlic and onion in olive oil with homemade garden pesto and drizzled with fresh lemon juice, freshly picked and squeezed.  Dessert: Fruit with nuts or organic raw coconut meat.

Some of my poor decisions this weekend could not be helped because of location, temptation or just plain flirtation with past habits.  Why would I ever stray again? Eating standing up, choosing diet soda over water, noshing without tasting and multitasking, over indulging in sugar and not having a back up plan when not in my own kitchen will not be re visited any time soon.

My body loves organic food, eaten meditatively without stress and served pleasantly in appropriate portions.  It’s good to be validated by my own body.

Tomorrow – August 11 is the last day of the OC Fair.  Said goodbye Thursday night.  But you still have time if you are in town!!  If not, these are the things to look forward to for next year (you would think I was getting paid for this free advertising).  Seriously, I was really impressed this year. ALL the vegetables were ripened or on the vine ripening at the same time during the 23 days duration of the fair for the first time during the history of the fair due to over 50 years of coordinating and refining the timing for vast numbers of plants.  This is just some of what the fair has to offer:Concerts under the stars – Hall and Oates played just last Thursday night  – every concert ticket gets you free entry into the fair all day, anytime of day.

Live farm animals and their young – these were seven days old – the sow birthed eleven piglets – wowow!

Plants, crafts, gardens, tablescaping, floral arranging, product booths, food!!!Did I mention rides, carnival games and lots of stages with entertainment?

Seeya next year, OC fair!!!

I worked in my garden today after walking with my buddy and harvested more bounty for an impromptu salad for lunch. First, I weeded, I watered and I lavished attention.  Then, once in the kitchen,  I plucked, washed and prepared squash blossoms, raw corn kernels, two types of tomatoes, swiss chard, kale, basil and a lemon from our backyard.  Avocado, courtesy of my neighbor.  Radishes, organic from Mother’s.  I carved out the meat of the avocado, squeezed the lemon juice, picked the leaves and chopped up the basil and blossoms.  Then, I added freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano from Italy, raw organic olive oil and Cecilia’s sea salt mix.  Once tossed, I sat down outside, contemplating my garden as I overlooked it from my patio, and ate the fresh generosity from Mother Earth with care and attention to every nuance of texture, flavor and complexity in my bowl.  I observed butterflies, dragonflies, a diversity of birds and watched the breeze sweep my CA pepper tree’s softly hanging branches like it was blowing the feathers on a boa.  Light and gentle.   My fountain trickled behind me.

I WAS in prayer, I WAS in the moment and I WAS one with.

Content.

Nature, music and food restores me, inspires me and fills me with gratitude.

Love abounds.  Beauty is prolific.

The perfect dessert?  A slice of raw, organic cheddar cheese with an organic, juicy, fuzzy summer peach and a cup of organic rose hip tea.

Blissed out with Blessings

As I sip my peppermint tea, I capture brisk, sweet flavor and follow the liquid to my digestive track in a meditative state (eyes closed) and fathom the healing power of herbs.

Rats and pesky ants despise peppermint.  It was used as far back as the Middle Ages to deter rodents from stored grain and cheese.  Seldom have I observed ants crawling anywhere near peppermint and the essential oil placed in tiny openings is a natural deterrent.

Peppermint contains a high dosage of menthol.  Steeped as a tea, this leaf encourages digestion, soothes tummies and can even relieve nausea.

Steep one teaspoon of dried leaves or 1-2 tablespoons of fresh leaves, covered, for @ 5 minutes, in one cup of hot water.  Hot peppermint tea will cool you down in the summer or during a hot flash.  It stimulates certain nerves below the skin that respond to coolness.  It also chillls you topically, on your skin.  Splash some tea onto your skin after cleansing or spritz throughout a hot summer day to stay fresh.

Peppermint spreads quickly planted in your yard and takes over wherever you plant it so I advise you to keep it in a container or let it roam in an area where you feel a need for greenery.

In cooking, it balances spicy foods in Middle Eastern, African, Indian and Asian cuisines.  It harmonizes well with either sweet or savory, fiery dishes.

Play with making tea by combining peppermint with rosemary, Chinese star anise, lavender, rose buds or lemon peel.  Sweeten with honey, stevia or organic coconut sugar and sip warm or serve over ice.  Cyclists from the Tour de France swear by mint and rosemary tea as a stimulant ( and it doesn’t disqualify you from racing).

Here’s an interesting recipe that is simple and easy.  Don’t let the 12 ingredients fool you.  Read it through.  Feel free to substitute with whatever grain or dried fruit you have.  The nuts are optional.  I love raw organic walnuts, chopped, in almost everything.  The key is the flavor profile and the use of your fresh mint from the garden in a healthful and novel way.  Expand and elevate your repertoire tonight!

Exotic Brown Basmati Rice

 Makes 4 servings as a side or feeds 2 hungry vegetarians

2 tablespoons of olive oil or a combination of 1 tbs. oil/1 tbs. butter

1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 – 1 1/2 cup)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 large tomato, chopped or ½ – 3/4 cup stewed tomato

2 – 3 tablespoons raisins or other dried fruit without sulfites

½ cup cooked garbanzos

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon crushed saffron

½ teaspoon turmeric

2 cups cooked rice

5-6 tablespoons of chopped fresh peppermint

Optional:   2- 3 tablespoons of chopped nuts, preferably raw and and/or organic

Heat the oil over medium heat in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic @ 5 minutes.  Add the tomato, dried fruit, chick peas, and spices.  Cook for @ 5 minutes, covered.  Remove from heat.  Toss the rice, fragrant and exotic sauce and fresh mint and choice of nuts together in a medium bowl to combine.  Serve warm or at room temp as a side or atop organic baby greens for a summertime salad!!  Buen Provecho!

Reading is a pleasure and it sustains me.  It may be different for you.  It is an activity for me.  It also feeds me.  Maybe you find joy in running or exercise or music or art.  My contentment comes from reading and when I don’t have time for my favorite pastime, I make it.

I waited in the Kaiser lounge at Lakeview yesterday while my daughter had her private exit exam with her primary doctor before going off to college.  I read my new Lavender recipe book my BFF thoughtfully gifted me for my birthday.

I “watch” baseball on TV with my husband and read magazines or trashy periodicals.  I used to bring a full on book to read when we had season tickets to Angel Stadium.  You cannot do that with hockey.

I read in the bathroom.  Doesn’t everyone have at least one shelf or basket of articles, magazines or entertaining literature in their commode area?  In my private bathroom I share with hubby, I have a series of inspirational daily meditations.  I get a spiritual boost every morning.

I read in bed.  Stacks of books line up below and beside me.  Pens, pencils, highlighters and sticky flags to mark important pages grace my 20” round glass-topped nightstand – crowded by a beaded reading lamp and a precious sunrise light/Zen music alarm clock.  Naturally, I own a clip on reading LED light so as not to bother my evening companion.

I read in the car when I’m a passenger.  I used to love the train or bus commutes when I was younger and took mass transportation.  I could read and alternate looking out the window or watching people.

I take a book with me wherever I go.  From experience I know I might be on a line somewhere and wonder ‘why didn’t I bring my book?’  At the bank, Disneyland, auto repair shop or doctor appointment for example.

I read outside.  I love to curl up on a balcony, patio or garden bench and read.  I speculate, I dream and I observe.  I never go on vacation, an overnight jaunt or to the beach without a good book (or two) in hand.  I used to spend my teenage summers just lolling around for hours on Long Island rocky beaches, reading.

I read on airplanes.  Before boarding, I get a lot of reading done waiting at my gate. Mostly prayers once we are in the air, flying.

I read when I eat alone.  I am loving the company of Oscar Wilde lately at the tree house dining table.  Meanwhile, at home in my kitchen, I catch up on newspaper entertainment, gardening, decor or travel sections.  There is nothing like reading a cookbook or a food memoir while you are dining either.

And like earlier this morning, I read when I walk alone.  I listen to books on tape/cd/download.  I have countless hours trekked by feet, accompanied by countless books I have in print form as well.  I am an aural learner too and certain voices resonate with me.

Listening to the author of the book or even an actor or actress you like the sound of enhances and helps you experience or envision your read.  When I listen to The Four Agreements, I hear Peter Coyote.  When I read The Four Agreements, I hear his melodic, baritone voice.

Pema Chodron has a soft, gentle and intelligent, pensive voice.  Her cadence and pitch helps you understand complicated Buddhist teachings.  I hear her voice when I go back to reread some volume of hers.  The same is true of many others.

The opposite is true too.  I hate Echart Tolle’s droll, boring, energy sapping voice – so I stick to just the printed page with him.

And of course, I have been known to spend endless hours in libraries, used and regular bookstores, sampling, tasting and reviewing possible good reads.  Plus, nowadays, I also have the computer, online reading and electronic books to consume.

I suppose if you are obsessed, you do what you are obsessed with every chance you get.  Good thing I’m not obsessed with food.