Ah Christmas...

A time of giving. Giving what? I have yet to venture out into the world of retail madness this Holiday Season. In fact, I have been avoiding it like the plague. It's not that I don't like to give. Giving feels wonderful. I just don't like to give under pressure. This year I am feeling the pressure more than usual. But I am also feeling the procrastination more than last. And like all other aspects of my short life, I am over-thinking my reasoning for avoidance. While I am not a wise sage, nor am I anywhere near enlightenment of any kinda; I have pretty much determined my Christmas giving quandary stems from a sense of selfishness. Not the kind of selfishness that makes receiving better than giving. The kinda of selfishness that screams "to give-just to give-is sometimes more selfish than not."
Both Ryan and I have very generous parents in both the physical and spiritual nature. We also have amazing siblings, relatives and friends. So naturally at this time of year, we rack our brains to come up with gifts that will have meaning for those who bring so much meaning to our lives. This year two things have happened. First, when it comes to our parents, they all requested that the greatest gift of all would be time. Time with each other as couples, time with them, time to help with things we would most likely already jump in to help with. Second, we cannot figure out what items to give that would have meaning. This year more than years past we are in a situation that we could purchase nice things for these people, but nice isn't always meaningful. So why is it so hard to just accept that on Christmas morning, there may not be a present to be opened with my name in the "from" section of the tag? Why do I feel like a bad person if there is not a physical item listed next to each person's name?
I think part of it is because nine months out of the year, we are all just going about our selfish business. Not paying any attention to what the people in our lives may need or want or what they just plain enjoy. Instead the last month of the year, we scramble to be present in their lives in order to be able to buy and feel good about giving. Again it goes back to selfishness, tack on a little consumer pressure, and what you have is loads of adults buying-just so they can give. What would it take to eliminate that feeling of guilt from not buying just to give? The only solution I can come up with, I am not able to implement this year. Starting January 1, 2012, I vow to pay more attention to the people in my life every day. Here is what I want to happen. Through out the course of the year, not the 3rd week in December,  because I will be present in people's lives, I will come across things they may need, want, or like. And then and there, I will take note or even purchase those things. I may chose to give them in the moment or I may hang on to them until Christmas morning but either way I will know that it will be a gift of meaning not afterthought.
Now, I don't have children and when I do I will not deny them Christmas morning gifts from Santa; but as they get older I hope that I have the courage to teach them that one meaningful gift, whether it be physical or spiritual is much more special than ten that were bought under holiday pressure.

Ode to the imperfectly perfect Christmas tree!

I once read that Amish women purposely sew flaws into their quilts as reminders of human imperfection. To me, the lesson in this workmanship is that perfection contain flaws. Because without flaws and nuances, life would be boring and therefore imperfect.

This weekend hundreds of thousands of Americans descended upon candy cane-striped tents filled with fragrant, conical shaped trees, all with the intent to find "the perfect Christmas tree." Will they succeed? Yes. Why? Because perfection is in the eye of the beholder. And when that tree is filled with colorful (or white) lights and adorned with the jewels of past, present and future, it will make no difference how the leaves fell or that one side is a tad lop-sided. She will be beautiful; she will be imperfectly perfect!

In the last month of her life, her ornament bejeweled greenery has been entrusted with our presents of which she will hold within her colorful shade for the next 21 plus days. Her happy caretakers will go to bed and wake up to her comforting pine-y aroma. They will feed her Karo syrup and water to nourish her in her final days.

During her life, this tree provided shelter for squirrels and birds and oxygen to our environment. In her death she provides joy and warmth to all those who will look upon her and smile. And when the time comes to be stripped of all her frosting, the hope is that she will once again become part of the earth, nourishing the soil her ancestors once did in order to help future generations of Christmas trees grow in her likeness. Perfection indeed!

Poo-Free Update

So...I have made it a full week with no shampoo or conditioner. My hair is not tangled, it does not smell funky and it is not greasy, per se, but I do find it incredible hard to style. Not that I did much styling to begin with, but blow-drying and straightening right now are out of the question. The texture is hard to explain and I am not sure if this is the "detox" period that some have forewarned. I am going to give it a couple more days and see what happens but as the weather gets colder here, I am wanting to have the hair down and straight so I may give in. In the meantime I will continue to take full advantage of side updos and hair accessories.

Pumpkin Fever

I am some what of a "Bubba" when it comes to pumpkin. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin yogurts, pumpkin ravioli---you get the point. On a cold day in the Fall there is nothing better than a pumpkin-spice latte. At 4+ bucks for a grande pumpkin spice latte with soy milk, one can surely not afford such an indulgence on a daily or even weekly basis. So in setting out to find a thrifty alternative I discovered an easy way to get my pumkin fix without breaking the bank.

Enter a can of plain pumpkin and half a container of coconut-milk vanilla creamer. Toss both ingredients in "the bullet" or in your blender, along with a few dashes of store bought pumpkin spice mix and a splash of water. Pulse until smooth, mixed and creamy, then transfer to a storage container. Add a couple of scoops to your morning coffee and wallah...pumpkin spice coffee the whole week for less than the cost of one Starbucks version. This means you also control the sugar and calories intake as well. In creating this silky seasonal blend, I happened upon another brilliant use for my pumpkin spice mixture, transforming a rather dull afternoon snack of vanilla Greek yogurt into a fantastic Fall pleasure, with health benefits. Start with plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, add two or three scoopfuls of the pumpkin mixture, stir until blended. Top with chopped nuts, a local honey drizzle and pumpkin spice to taste. PURE PUMPKIN DELIGHT.

Magazines on My Mind

I have been an avid follower of Design*Sponge for about two years now. Grace Bonney is a genius in my eyes. To my delight I opened my Google Reader today and found D*S writer Kate Pruitt's post stating that despite what some say, periodical magazines and publications are not dead and, in fact, they seem to be making a comeback presenting readers with even more spendid art and knowledge to tease our tactile senses. For the record, I am all for evironmental stewardship, but I will always have a soft spot for beautifully written, illustrated, photographed magazines. Thanks to the Design*Sponge post this morning(http://www.designsponge.com/2011/10/wilder-quarterly.html) I was introduced to this eye candy that I am giddily excited to get my hands on:

http://wilderquarterly.com/current-issue/

http://wilderquarterly.com/current-issue/



I also recently found this digital magazine that I will continue to patronize:

 http://www.sweetpaulmag-digital.com/sweetpaulmag/fall2011#pg1

'Poo Free...I think I might.

Current hair using conventional 'poo and conditioner

Not that 'poo people...shampoo free! I promise I have no intention of creating dreads, nor will I sport greasy, smelly locks. For months, I have tried to find beauty products that are organic and effective. I have spent mula galore on shampoo and conditioner with no luck. No longer interested in being a product whore, I am ready to move on. I will not let my scalp, skin and the environment suffer from my choices anymore. I love that this method is cheap, eviro-friendly, and toxin-free. So why go shampoo (and conditioner free)? See great logic here:
http://simplemom.net/how-to-clean-your-hair-without-shampoo/
and more about it here:
http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/02/01/simple-herbal-hair-care/

Interested to see if this will work for my long, wavy hair?  I think I will give a shot and report back.

A New Health Frontier

I have already had three doctors appointments regarding my health concerns.They consisted of a visit with a gynecologist, a family physician and an endocrinologist. I was left unsatisfied with their treatment plans. It is not their fault, I know they have worked hard to get to this point and have helped many others. They were trained to look at individual symptoms, blood results and pathology, all of which remain “in the normal range” for me. From them, I have received a clean bill of health of which I am thankful. But while none of my health complaints seem life-threatening and by conventional standards and I am just “fine and dandy,” a lump on my thyroid, womanly troubles, and screaming intuition speak differently.
My next step is a doctor of Chinese medicine. My first appointment will be two hours. It took one phone call to set up the appointment and I spoke to one person (I spoke to three people and waited two weeks to get an appointment with the endocrinologist). I will spend 2 hours--with the doctor, not an hour in the waiting room and 15 minutes with the doctor. I will not have to provide proof of insurance or hold my breathe every time I approach the mailbox for they next month awaiting an astronomical bill.
I have heard nothing but fantastic reviews of how this man has saved and changed lives. Yet despite his praise and popularity, I have had the pleasure of receiving personal responses via email from him validating a need to look a little deeper. This was unexpected and much appreciated. Already through my correspondence with this doctor, I feel valued and respected. He may find nothing physical. There is no way to know. What I do know is that I am hopeful that he may hold the key to finding ails me. I am excited to share my experience.

Setting Boundaries

Yesterday my talented husband built a fence around the exposed side of my vegetable garden. For months, I have been letting the chickens roam, scratch, and dig holes in the garden, but it is time Fall vegetable planting; it is time to set boundaries. If allowed, the chickens would continue to frequent the garden but in a not-so-beneficial way. They would eat the veggies. Don’t worry, they have a perfectly good yard for which to roam and scavenge and they love the organic feed they get. But the truth is you give them a grass patch, they take the WHOLE yard. I am also setting some boundaries. As I embark on a new career, a new schedule within my life, the feelings of guilt tend to set in when I am not “working.” This is a trap I have fallen into on past short-lived endeavours. I often wondered why I would go at something 110% and burn out. I have drawn the conclusion that my incurable drive was, in fact, the reason for the burnout. My only chance at sustainable success is to set boundaries for myself allowing my head and heart to focus on one thing with 100% attention. I am learning that to be present in the moment, it is essential I set aside my to-do list and focus on that one thing that I am doing. It is only fair for that one thing, be it petting my dog, talking with my husband or working get the focus of my attention in the time I allot it; it also happens to make that one thing much more enjoyable. Unlearning multitasking and setting boundries seems to go against the nature of most but maybe it is time we all try it and give the tasks at hand the attention they deserve.

Losing Focus

It happens. Life ebbs and flows within us and around us on a regular basis. When the tides are moving and we are in transition, it can be hard to maintain focus on the things that are important in our lives. I am very thankful that I am in a state of forward progression but I also find the more I stack on my plate, the easier it is to lose focus on the discoveries I have made while in the precursor state of stagnation. At the same time, some recent minor health speed bumps have caused discouragement and pushed me further from good habits I had developed in respect to my health and body. The good news is that I am aware of it and that is half the battle.

Ideas to bring the focus back:

1. Write out your own list of one word values (i.e. healthy, family, truth). It can be for your eyes only or to share with a partner or special friend. Store this list in a place you will remember and visit them when you feel you are losing focus, are in need of self guidance or have a big decision to make. When you visit this list ask if the way you spend your time fits with these values. Generally if the way you are spending time does not, you will recognize imbalance and discomfort and you can begin to refocus on how to get back to those values.
2. Do something you have never done before. This can be as simple as testing a new recipe or as extreme as skydiving. The idea is to break away from the monotony of your daily routine and bring your focus back to the most important place. YOU!
3. Exercise, preferably outdoors. When  life gets hectic people (myself included) tend to 86 physical activity on the to-do list. Bad idea. When we exercise, we give ourselves time and permission to focus on one thing and not to have to multi-task.You may have to force yourself to get out and walk around the block, but when you return to your home or desk, you return in a more confident, clear, focused state of mind (and are working toward a tighter booty).
4. Just say "No." No one wants to tell friends and family no. But part of losing focus is over committing.  If you have never said no before, explain that you need some time to refocus and to keep you in mind the next time around. People who care about you will understand. They may even follow suit.
5. Spend time with a small child. There is no better way to regain focus than spending time around a child. They are present in that very moment and no where else. They are innocent and simple. They bring perspective to the overly electronic madness of the day. They teach us that to focus on one thing at a time brings success nine times out of ten.

Fascinating video on bacteria

So this video is a bit long but it is a great source of information about how bacteria works in and around our bodies. The speaker is also very engaging and I would imagine ridiculously smart! It was shocking to me, the roll that these "germs" play in our lives and how important it is that we respect the symbiotic relationship we, as human have with them. In a country where every bathroom seems to contain anti-bacterial soap and most purses contain sanitizing gel, we should be more conscience of what over use of these products really means. Enjoy!

Move

Pardon my disappearing act over the last few weeks, I am adjusting to a new schedule. I wanted to share a wonderfully creative video depicting forward motion, something there seems to be a great deal of in my life right now. Having a production background, I am always impressed by the amount of time and shooting that goes into such a short but enlightening video, especially when it is shot in so many different locations. Enjoy and have a good week!

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

Patience

Patience may be considered a virtue but it is rarely respected. In our go-go-go society it is hard to maintain such a virtue. We are consumers of everything; quick consumers! If we want it, we go buy it, some of us are lucky enough to know how to make it, but that is rare. Most of us are spenders not savers. Wasters not growers. I should know, this used to describe me. But as I sat in the dentist chair the other day waiting for the dreaded numbness, the thought came and passed that I had been sitting there for about twenty minutes without a peep from the dentist. Another ten went by and I noticed a man who had been taken back at the same time of me starting to complain. This brought my newly inherited patience to mind. In the past I would have used that thirty minutes to fume. Slowly bringing to mind all of those reasons that I should be mad I am sitting, waiting, wasting time. My frustration would have started out slow, "this is rude," "who do they think they are," "my time is valuable too." Then my negative thoughts would grow into a plot to storm out demanding they reschedule me because I had things I needed to do, places to be! That did not happen this time.
I discovered it was so much nicer to exercise my patience and focus on what an extra thirty minutes of "down time" meant for my day. I did some conscience breathing and some brainstorming and just sat there. It was great. I thought about the guy next to me who had just ruined his own day over something of which he had no control. Yes, it is rude for doctors to make us wait but who knows what the circumstance was. Was she having lunch with her child? Maybe SHE had a doctors appointment for which she had to wait. Maybe she was just running errands. It was irrelevant. What mattered was what I chose to do with the time my patience was allowing me. That day it allowed me to be mindfully present in the moment, because there was no where else I could be. I was able to finish out my day calm, relaxed and numb on on the left side of my face (okay so that part was not so great).
I truly believe my new "virtue" has come about because of my yoga practice but if you really think about it, it is a selfish act, being patient. It reminds us of our free will and ability to control our own thoughts and well-being. Next time you are in a situation when you really need patience try the following:
1. Just take a deep breath. Even if this means doing it in front of someone. It may seem weird to pause mid-rant to breathe but trust me, you and the receiving end will be appreciative that you need to get your bearings and chances are the conversation will be much more productive and less emotional.
2. Ask yourself the following question: Where else do I REALLY have to be right now? If the answer is "anywhere but here" than you need patience, my dear. If the answer is a valid place i.e. picking the kids up at school or on a conference call, and you are waiting on someone, politely and calmly explain to them that you will need to reschedule if they cannot see you in the next 10 minutes.
3. If you are waiting in line for something, and getting irritated, ask yourself if you really need that item you are purchasing or signing up for. Is it worth the stress of waiting in line? If it is than strike up a convo with the other cue members or prepare by bringing a book with you.
4. If it's traffic, you obviously can't read but you can listen to music or have a book on tape handy. Value this time to just be where you are and be thankful that you have the ability to get from point A to B via your own method of transportation. Hundreds of thousands of others have to wait for a bus or train or have to walk when they want to get somewhere.

Think of it this way, too. Some of the most enjoyable things are the result of time and patience like lasagna, babies and cupcakes!

Responsible Indulgence: Organic Red Wine

Fin approves as well!

"Organic wines are invariably fresh and crisp and aromatic and unique to each spot and vivacious at best. They are not over-exacted nor coerced into a preconceived taste mold. They are all about the vineyard." -Arnold Waldstein

I am an avid wine drinker but would no means call myself a connoisseur. Sticking to the cheap but yummy side, my motto is if it tastes good and doesn't cost a fortune, pour me a glass. Don't get me wrong, I have a true appreciation for an aged, prized bottle of vino just like the next gal, but my budget does not allow for this on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis so I must compromise.
My wine palette fluctuates between red and white varietals and typically follows the Florida seasons. It is hard to enjoy a glass of heavy red on a 95 degree day in the sun just as it is hard to sip a crisp glass of white on a chilly evening by a campfire. I know wine is meant to be paired with food not weather but there are exceptions. Although it is still quite warm outside, Fall is in the air and therefore I am currently craving red.
Let's not kid ourselves here: Wine is alcohol, and alcohol is a toxin which has to be broken down in your system just like any other free radical. Too much consumption taxes your immune system and affects other important bodily functions. Now that I have that out there I would like to announce that I LOVE WINE. My overall lifestyle is insanely respectful to my body and knowing that I will continue to drink wine on a regular basis and not feel guilty for doing so. There are exceptions, i.e. sickness, pregnancy and breast-feeding where this will not be the case.
I do my best to choose an organic option for what I like to call my "responsible indulgence" but not all organic wines taste good. My current wine of choice is Pure Red, by Badger Mountain. It is light and flavorful, great for a daily glass paired with just about anything. I like that it comes in an eco-friendly box (a turn off to some, a plus to me) and is reasonably priced. One box is said to contain four bottles (another plus).
While there is no question that organic in any living sense is just plain better, organic wines are produced sans pesticides, in concert with the land from which the grapes are grown. Any time a consumable product is grown in connection with it's microclimate it becomes healthier for us, and in turn healthier for our environment. Almost all organic wines have a higher antioxidant content, the reason for which wine is considered "good for health in moderation." Organically cultivated wine tends to contain less sulfites (sulfur dioxide), an ingredient some people have an allergic reaction to. Beware that just because a wine is labeled organic does not mean "sulfite-free". Sulfites should only have a negative affect on those that are sensitive to them and can cause respiratory distress, so you will know if you fall into this category. A common myth is that sulfites also cause a nasty day after headache aka-the wine hangover. There are two possible reasons for a splitting headache the day after neither of which are sulfites. One is that you just plain drank too much and you are dehydrated. The other is due to the tannins and histamines which both come from the skin of the grape.
So next time you reach for a bottle, try to make it organic. Your body and Mother Nature will thank you. I am off to pour myself a glass!

I will write for you!

Only one week left until my first Holistic Health and Nutrition course starts. Over the past few months I have been setting up a home office, goal setting and getting back into the swing of daily learning and writing. I should feel overwhelmed but instead I am enlivened. It feels great to be pursuing life with passion for the first time. I highly reccomend it.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:
One of my long time dreams has been to mantain a freelance writing career, a journey which began quite some time ago and took me away on adventure to Boston. A masters degree, a job as a producer and five years working for the family biz later, it may seem to some I have strayed far from that dream. I can still hear family and friends urging me to just pick something and stick to it. I am glad I waited it out and found my clarity. In the present moment I strongly feel the life experiences I have had along the way seem to prove there was ultimately a reason for an alternate path and I seem to have come full circle back to my dream but with more knowledge and stronger conviction.
I love to write. It is my voice, my language and I have decided to make it a strong and ever present part of my life. I have launched a freelance writing career. I will specialize in food, nutrition, health, sustainability, edible gardening and simple living. I will also offer my services to help small businesses within these industries with website copy, newsletters, and social media. If you know of anyone in need of these services please send them my way. To all of you who have supported me along the way and continue to support my decisions, I sincerely thank you. To my future clients, I look forward to working with you and for you, I promise you will be pleased.

BTW-I will absolutely continue to contribute to this blog but there are some updates coming to it in the near future, so get excited!

Salutation Nation, 9-10-11



This picture was taken by Cliff Roles, http://www.cliffroles.com/, that's me-bottom right corner.



Saturday morning I joined 300 men and women of all races and ages for an hour of yoga at the Ca'da'Zaan. We flowed on the back deck on the water. What an experience! It was a beautiful morning, with a slightly cool breeze, and a flat calm bay. The picture I posted tells the story best as I have never seen a more colorful and diverse group of people in one location in Sarasota. SO COOL!

What made it even more special was knowing that around the world, at the very same time, thousands of people were practicing together in their chosen location. 

I have only been practicing yoga for a little over a year now but it's because of experiences like this that I know in my heart that I will be practicing it for the remainder of my days here on Earth.

Birth of the Fall Garden

  

White Squash

Purple Broccoli

The time has come for the birth of my Florida Fall garden. I know this because my seeds are sprouting and there is swiss chard, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, squash, chocolate bell peppers and beans on the horizon. I am also expecting a new shipment of seeds any day now. This year I am going to give pumpkins a try in the hopes they can provide decoration and pie for Thanksgiving. I am timidly confident that it will work out. It still seems unbearabley hot, humid and buggy to be in the garden for any extended length of  time, but I have started most of my seedlings indoors this year and am doing my best to keep things weeded and aerated in the garden as well as letting the chickens roam free in there to contribute their fertilizer to the dirt. I will have to be very conscience of the chickens when all is planted and most likely create a temporary barrier to keep them from eating all of our spoils.



Flat Dutch Cabbage

Currently my seedlings are are under a 24 hour florescent light in my office. I am closely monitoring their water and growth to ensure they emerge from there wombs and are given a healthy start to life. That way when they are old enough to be placed in the garden they will be strong and ready to tackle the elements. As they grow over the next four to six weeks I will gradually taper off their light supply to allow them acclimation to a real sunlight schedule and then the last week before transplant they will be placed outside a little bit each day to get used to the heat. Last week I soaked and planted scarlet runner beans and edammame directly in the garden. A couple of weeks ago I planted white scallop squash, which seems to be thriving in the heat and moisture of the tail end of the Florida summer. It will be a challenge to keep the worms away from my squash and I hope the copious amounts of rain do not rot my bean seeds before the see the light of day.

Mini Sailor Cucumbers

I am excited about this garden season. I have a stronger confidence in what I am doing now with 3 years of experience now under my belt. While it is impossible to know what the Florida Fall, Winter and Spring will bring, I know that I can create something productive for our consumption. I hope that all of you will try to grow at least one thing you can eat this year!

A Plea for Fall

While my besty, M,  is over at Owlet (http://owletblog.blogspot.com) may be cursing the start of the cold season, I am totally longing for it. To be fair, it's like comparing apples to oranges, as she is in Chicago and I am in South Florida. While we have had some record lows over the last couple of years, they last mere days, not months, and our lows are in the 30's, not below zero with bone chilling wind. Florida has always marched to the beat of its own drum from the people that inhabit it to the inconsistency in the weather patterns, but, hey, it is home and always has been.
This year our summer has been unbearabley hot, wet and mosquito stained. I am OVER it. The hubs and I both agree that we sleep better with the windows and doors open and a constant flow of cool fresh air wafting in as opposed to the vicious cycle of air movement and stagnation from the central air units. Cooler weather here in Florida means a vegetable garden full of variety and lots of hot soups both of which make my tummy and heart very happy. I also love the winter wardrobe for Florida which for me comprises of a great pair of jeans, long sleeve tees, light to medium weight sweaters and comfy boots. This cool season, I plan to spend many weekends out at our family property in front of a campfire, listening to music, making smores.
So here I sit upon a humid, foggy, yucky morning longing for that morning I will walk outside, be greeted with a breath of crisp, cool, fresh air and happily free my favorite sweater from hibernation.

Raw Coconut-Lime Pie

This started out as a raw mango key-lime pie but I did not have key limes nor did I soak enough cashews for the fillings, so I improvised and the result was pleasing.

We had plenty of limes from the backyard and I love coconut and had a bunch on hand.

Ingredients:

Crust

1 cup of macadamia nuts

½ cup of cashews

¼ cup of pine nuts

7-10 Pitted Mejool dates

1 teaspoon coconut oil

A couple sprinkles of cinnamon

A pinch of salt

Pulse first 3 ingredients, cinnamon and salt in a food processor for 10 minutes until you reach a crumbly consistency. Add coconut oil and dates. Continue pulsing until combined. You may need to scrap the sides once or twice.You do not want this to be mushy. To test it take a spoon and scrape some into your hands, if you press it together and it stays together, it is ready. Press crust into a pie shell with loose bottom until smooth and stick the pie shell in the freezer while you prepare filling.

*if your pie shell does not have a loose bottom, line the inside with plastic wrap prior to pressing the crust in. This will allow you to easily remove it when ready.

Filling

2 cups of cashews (soaked for 3+ hours)

1 cup of lime juice (or key lime juice)

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract or scraped vanilla bean

1/4-3/4 cup of water (you can use water from soaked cashews) OR almond milk

Place first 3 ingredients in powerful blender and start to pulse, adding water when needed in order to reach a smooth, creamy consistency. There should be no lumps in your filling. Pull out pie crust and spoon filling into it smoothing and leveling the filling. Place back in freezer and rinse out blender.

Topping

1 cup soaked cashews

1 cup unsweetened dried coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons raw agave nectar

Water for consistency

Blend first 4 ingredients in blender adding water as needed to reach smooth, creamy consistency. No lumps in this either. When done, pull out pie shell and filling and smooth topping layer over filling creating a smooth top layer. Sprinkle more coconut on top and garnish with a lime slice or swirl. Cover and place in freezer for at least 1 hour before serving. This will keep in the freezer for a couple of days. Just take it out for about an hour before eating.

ENJOY!

Health Facts:

Macadamia Nuts are high in fiber and have high amounts of “good fats” without the bad cholesterol. They also contain significant amounts of amino acids and surprising amounts of B-vitamins.

*This recipe is Gluten free and Vegan.

Great Article

I have been busy getting my home office all set up for the start of school and the launch of my freelance writing biz but I have not forgot about you dear readers.

Coming up this evening is a recipe for a raw coconut-lime pie and I wanted to share with you a fabulous article on the value of time by Anne Lamott for Sunset Magazine:

http://www.sunset.com/travel/anne-lamott-how-to-find-time-00418000067331/

Sticking Close to Home

I am a planner by nature. No matter how much I WANT spontaneity in my life it will not change this fact. The way I compromise with my need for control of a productive schedule is to "plan" to just stay close to home sometimes. That is what I have done this weekend and so far today has been pretty darn good for not having a list written out. I managed to plant our new "red lady" papaya tree, move the pineapples, plant some seeds in the garden, start some seeds in the house, order seeds for the Fall garden, clean the chicken coop and have some beans soaking for planting later. I only have one more weekend until my weekends will become devoted to school work so I am enjoying my non-plan-plan.

The new tropical fruit garden corner. Starfruit, papaya, pineapples, and lemon bush. Flowers to be added!

Here she is! I am told she will grow another foot before giving us fruit.

Scarlet Runner and Soy Beans

Purple and Pink Tomatoes, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cucumbers, Swiss Chard and Onions.

I also had the chance to play on the Internet and do some pinning which I rarely take time to do on weekends.



This is the corner opposite the showerhead. This bath is so zen, I cannot wait to take a shower in there!



Meanwhile, Ryan has been working hard on the bathroom remodel and has made major progress. He is so talented in both the labor and design aspects of creation. He would be mad if he knew I put this up as he likes people to only see the finished product but I couldn't resist and barely ever gets on here anyways:

Southern Living Recipe...Using Donahue Garden Okra

It turned out fabulous! Super simple. We served it with a side of oven roasted red potatoes and grilled corn on the cob. Check out September's Southern Living for the Shrimp and Okra Skillet recipe.

 

Sweet End to the Summer

 

While the temperatures are sure to stick in the high ninety's with a thousand percent humidity for at least another month, I would still like to think of September as they official passage into Fall here in south Florida. I am welcoming it with open arms and sweet treats. I tend not to be much of a "sweets" kinda gal, but for the last week I have been wanting desserts almost every day. And so throughout the Fall, I plan to attempt lots of sweet goodies that are both comforting, gluten free and healthier than the average cupcake. My first attempt was a gluten free peach cobbler. It was rather good and super easy since I had gluten free biscuit mix on hand. I am not versed enough in gluten free baking to attempt a flour mix of my own yet but maybe one day.

I bought some peaches, sliced them, left the skin on and decided to put an adult spin on the cobbler by soaking them in agave nectar, cinnamon and whiskey for a few hours prior to baking the dish. When they were ready, I made the GF biscuit mix according to the package (used butter on this one but almond milk as the liquid) then I added cinnamon, nutmeg and clove to the batter. I greased my pan, poured in the peaches and whiskey juice and laid dollops of the biscuit mix on top. I then baked it for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. I let it cool for about 15 minutes before serving but I still wanted it to be warm. The first night Ryan and I enjoyed it by itself but the second night we paired it with homemade dairy free banana ice cream and it was even better. Next time I make this I will use less of the biscuit mix and possibley more peaches.

Make Up Free Me

It's liberating when you decide that you don't "need" makeup to go outside. I wonder when it became status quo to feel like prior to being presentable to the world you have to slap on foundation to cover up blemishes and minimize freckles; eye liner, eye shadow and mascara to accentuate your already beautiful eyes; blush to make you appear flushed and rosy (does anyone know how that came about? I do and it makes me blush just thinking about it); lipstick to make your lips look better. Ask your husbands, partners, and friends if they really care what you slap on your face. I bet nine times out of ten they prefer a fresh faced lady than one concealed with chemicals. I have never been one to wear a great deal of makeup but I have to admit I was in the habit of feeling it necessary to at least give the face a once over with powder and make my eyes "pop" with eye liner and eyeshadow. During this cleanse I decided to clean up my beauty routine and let my skin breathe. I tossed outdated makeup and made a vow to replace it with chemical free, natural products only. In the meantime, I have not put on one bit of makeup for the last ten days. And while it felt pretty weird at first, I am glad I confronted the akwardness of once again feeling comfortable in my own skin. I can't say I won't wear makeup again, but I do know that when I do, it will be my choice, for fun, and not part of a "beauty routine" or standard dictated by the outside world.

OH MA OKRA...

Yesterday, Ryan and I decided we have no problem turning a profit on okra, even in the summer heat. Three plants, five to six feet tall and we have had at least 40 okra already and so much more on the way I cannot even keep up with it. Generally we like to give excess produce away, but in the case of okra, there are not many takers. It's not really something my Mom liked to fix us growing up and given the snotty, slimy properties it displays as soon as you cut or bite into it, I don't exactly blame her. But in this case I am determined to acquire a taste for it, not only because it is hands down the lowest maintenance crop I have ever grown (and one of the only that not just survives Florida August but thrives in it), but because it is loaded with tons of nutritional benefits, one of which comes from it's off-putting slime. The mucilaginous property in this pod is excellent for your detoxification system. It slimes up those intestines real good and helps with the movement of the bowels (peristalsis to be technical), carrying that nasty waste right to it's toilet bowl death. By the way a little fry action might help the okra go down but it destroys the benefits described in the previous sentence, so take it easy on the fry daddy and oil, peeps. Okra is also low in calories and high in good fiber (another BM plus). As if there needs to be any more benefits, the mini slimer pod also contains decent amounts of Vitamins A (skin, mucous membrane health and vision), B (energy plus SO much more), C (immunity...baby) and K (essential blood clotting and bone strength). So what, you may ask, are you going to do with all of this okra, Randi? To which my response is ask not what okra can do with you, but what you can do with okra? Pickle it, freeze it, grill it (thanks Paiger), saute it, eat it fresh, your choice. Since I happen to be on a bit of a picky diet at this time, so far I have frozen and pickled it. When I am done with my cleanse I found a great recipe for okra and shrimp that I am dying to try.

Harvesting Okra 

This is important folks. You must stay on top of harvesting these suckers. Once they get too big the are NO GOOD TO EAT. You might as well be gnawing on a piece of wood if you let these sit on the plant to long. You will know they are only good for seed saving when the ridges start to sink in. Ideally you will want to pick them when they are 2-4 inches long. Mine are growing so fast I let them go to 4-5 inches. Also, it is best to wear gloves when messing with these plants as the leaves are VERY irritating. If you look really close you will see each leaf contains thousands of prickly little spikes. I am guessing this is why they are so bug resistant. Another plus of the okra plant are these beautiful flowers that are only open for a short period of time during the day.

PICKLING OKRA



In hindsight, I could have packed these better.



EASY BREEZY. Pick your pods. Wash them and drain them, if they are small enough to leave whole and fit in the jar then just take a sharp knife and cut a 1/4 inch of each end. If you prefer you can slice them and pickle them that way.

 After jars and lids are sterilize pack them with your okra and a couple of cloves of garlic. Boil water, salt, vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar) and any other pickling spices you prefer (I used hot peppers, dill seed and mustard seed) for a couple of minutes, then funnel into jars.

Boil in water bath for 10 minutes to seal. Wait a couple of weeks, then enjoy!

FREEZING OKRA

Freezing okra is best when you blanch them first. So take your pods and wash them. Then cut off top stem, being careful not to break the seed pod (slime). Start a pot of water to boil and while you are waiting get ready with a colander and a ice water bath. Once the water is boiling add your okra and let boil for 3-4 minutes (no longer). Strain okra of hot water then immediately submerge in ice bath to stop them from over cooking. Let sit in the ice bath for a couple of minutes until they are cold to the touch. Strain again and lay out to dry a little. I like to place them on a baking sheet to pre-freeze so they don't end up in one giant frozen clump but you could skip this step. Place blanched okra in a freezer bag and get as much air out as you possibly can (use a food saver if you have one). Place in the freezer. Whala!