Tag Archives: hope

Apr22

Any Given Day or Time

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And that is truly so I think! Everything is an experience we learn during our lifetime, the good, the bad, the happiest and the most ugly ones, all days come together to create a unique path that each of us follow. No life is ever alike, some we might say are easier than others, though never judge “the book by its cover”, the most ferocious battles are held inside that do not depend on how much money you have or how successful others view you. And  the “richest” people in the world are the ones who feel they have enough to be happy and fulfilled on all possible levels.

To strike a balance between your inner world, your needs, wants, aspirations and the environment around you, which includes people in your life, is truly a happy place. Emotional independence is that balance where you know who you are and how exactly to lead your life without any outside influence, be it in a relationship, work front or a chance encounter, that would knock you off your feet, bring anxiety and make you question yourself, the value of your being and the validity of your choices.

So then if you have a great day, you bask in all the glory of that happiness, no matter how fleeting it may be. And if you have a less that stellar day, you gain an experience, even if only to contrast and to recognize that when the next good day comes, you should enjoy it, and not question whether you deserve it or not, or when your luck is supposed to run out. And when a black period strikes, seemingly full of lost hopes and bleak outcomes, you learn a lesson of what mistakes were made and how possibly to avoid them in the future, and what always remains including your spirit and the most important life values, who is still “in your corner” and which people are gone to follow their own road.

In the big “Bingo of Life” we never know which number comes up next and whether you lose or win at the end or on any given day. We don’t always have any control over it, sometimes we think we do, but life is so illusory, we all get surprised with how fast the “sand castles” can topple over or be blown off by the wind.

Then what does still stand when everything is disappeared or gone with the wind? The answer is always the same: YOU! Your spirit, your inner strength, your value of yourself, your faith, your dreams.

So, no matter good, bad, ugly or the most blissful, the time and circumstances will always pass, the one who stands and maintains a balance despite the mad scale swings is the one who is an ultimate winner!

What’s Cooking This Week

Not all meals are created equal, some are more elaborate than others, and other ones are made for specific occasions. Though probably nothing is better than to shake that “Bingo bag” and have something unexpected or at a “wrong time of the day”. This recipe I feel is pretty versatile, it’s really whatever you want it to be, a filling breakfast, a great addition to your lunch soup or even a savory side dish for a weekday dinner. And it won’t take a lot of your time in the kitchen too.

Sausage, Cheddar and Chives Muffins

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Makes 12 muffins:

1 package/4 links of sausage, cut up (I used chicken apple sausage)

4 eggs

3/4 cup of milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (I used daiya)

1 3/4 cups of flour (I used multi-blend Authentic Foods gluten free mix)

1 Tbspoon of Dijon mustard

3 Tbspoons of chopped fresh chives

2 tspoons of baking powder

1/4 tspoon of salt

1/2 tspoon of basil

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In a bowl combine together flour, salt, basil and baking powder. In another bowl beat up the eggs and mix in cut up sausage with milk, mustard, chives, then add shredded cheese/daiya. Gradually combine with the flour mix.

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Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees, grease the muffin pan and fill almost to the top. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or untill the tops are lightly golden, cool off completely before removing from the pan.

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The muffins are slightly crusty outside but soft and very moist inside, almost impossible to have just one, so indulge, for breakfast, lunch or any other given time.

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Enjoy!

Nov4
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NYC has just survived one of the most deadly periods in its history, comparing probably only to 9/11. The devastation and a wide-spread damage that the hurricane Sandy left after its 2-day fury is unfathomable and heartbreaking. My family is one of the lucky ones who didn’t lose anything, besides having no power in some areas, and everybody is alive and well.

As Sandy was having  her way with the city, my parents had to be evacuated from their coastal area home and have been staying with me for a week now. At the height of the storm, I was praying that the power would stay on, and our windows would not get blown off. My prayers were answered, but I guess by a nick of a hair, as many areas around me lost their power, and many houses and cars were damaged by fallen trees.

The city is slowly recovering, some parts will have to be re-built. Everybody is kind of shaken, just like after 9/11, that the world around us is very fragile, and we need to cherish the important things, family, friends, simple joys in life, because the material ones could be gone in a matter of seconds. What you’ll be left standing with are the human connections so the energy and attention should be more on people.

Your family and friends are the ones who count the most anyway!

 

What’s Cooking This Week

What do you crave when you’re under stress? I bet you say some comfort food. Like chocolate, and since it’s Fall, maybe some pumpkin. These are the times when you don’t pay attention to calories and fat content, you just enjoy the sweet indulgence as much as you want. So as Sandy was flying around the city, I was baking cookies.  If she didn’t choke on human spirit and endurance, maybe she’d choke on some chocolate!

Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies

Makes about 36 cookies:

2 cups of flour (I used gluten free Cup4Cup mix)

3/4 cup of brown sugar

1 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree, unsweetened

1 cup of milk (I used almond milk)

2 eggs

1 cup of chocolate chips

1 tspoon of vanilla

1 tspoon of baking powder

1/2 tspoon of baking soda

1/2 tspoon of salt

1 tspoon of cinnamon

1/8 tspoon of ground cloves

1/2 tspoon of nutmeg

Mix separately all the dry ingredients and all the wet ingredients. Then gradually add the dry ones into the wet mixture.

Then fold in chocolate chips. If the batter is thick, add more milk to the desired consistency. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil the cookie sheets and drop spoonfuls of batter about 1 inch apart. Bake 20-25 minutes, depending on a size.

If sand bags didn’t stop Sandy, we’ll kill her with pumpkins and cookies.

Enjoy!

Oct29
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Have you ever tried living in a small room that is also occupied by a dancing pink elephant? Chances are no matter what you do or how much you tried to avoid it, you’d inevitably bump into it from this side or the other, and your whole view about what else is around you is simply going to be restricted by either a giant pink ear or enormous round side, and you’re also probably going to be constantly poked by that long elephant trunk.

That was me trying to live my life for 5 years post-cancer treatment while not having a certainty that I’d be able to reach the first survival milestone without dealing with cancer yet again. A daily therapy pill, close follow-up and multiple medical appointments would not let me forget that I was still in a critical period when it is mostly possible for cancer to come back. Try living your life like that when the damn pink elephant just wouldn’t leave!

So last month, when my doctor signed the eviction order to get the pachyderm out of my home, it actually took some time to convince this animal to leave. And even now it still passes by almost daily and sometimes knocks on my windows and tries to see if it can con me into opening the door. I do get anxious when I see its shadow, but I’m certain there’s no room for elephants anymore.

It’s hard to let go of something that was part of your life for a long time, even if that wasn’t pleasant. You’re scared that you have no control over it and its “coming and going”, and the uncertainty that it can break into your door at any moment is worse that having to live with it in a close proximity. Yet you have no choice if you want to see and experience anything else beyond the pink butt.

I know it will never leave me for good, it will always be roaming the streets in my city or maybe even in my neighborhood. I’m just praying that it will never have to barge through my door again.

The pink elephant has finally left the building, its whereabouts are uncertain, but it can also be presumed lost in the wilderness of life!

(No elephants, pink or any other color, were harmed while writing this post). :)

What’s Cooking This Week

Lots of sweet things on my blog this month. I am in a mood to celebrate, but when you also talk about some pink food, it does look much better as a dessert. To celebrate the long awaited departure of the pink pachyderm, a boozy cupcake is on a menu. I should also mention, it is naturally gluten free.

Pink Series: Recipe # 9

Cherry Amaretto Cupcakes

Cupcakes (makes 12):

2 cups of almond flour

1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cup of sugar

4 eggs

3 Tbspoons of Amaretto liqueur

1 1/2 tspoon of vanilla

12 Maraschino cherries

a pinch of salt

In a pot, melt the butter and set it aside to cool. In a bowl, combine together almond flour, sugar and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla and Amaretto, then add melted and cooled off butter.

Combine together wet and dry ingredients until the batter is smooth. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the cupcake pans and fill with batter about 3/4 full. I’m using my “must-have” batter dispenser.

Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes, then let them cool off completely. In a mean while, make the frosting.

Frosting:

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

2-3 cups of powdered sugar

2 Tbspoons of milk (I used almond milk)

2 Tbspoons of Amaretto

1 Tbspoon of cherry juice or Maraschino cherries liquid

12 cherries for garnish

chopped almond pieces for garnish

Whip the butter until light and fluffy. Add milk and whip again until smooth. Gradually add Amaretto and cherry liquid and beat until well combined. Start adding powdered sugar, depending how much liquid you have and how sweet you want the frosting, you may use 2-3 cups of sugar.

Once the cupcakes are cooled off, using a cupcake corer or a knife, cut the middle in each cupcake and place a cherry on the bottom.

Pipe some frosting over the cherries, you may then replace the top of the cupcake over the frosting. Frost as you prefer and decorate with cherries and chopped almond pieces.

Sugary and moist, with both Amaretto and cherry undertones, a perfect ending to a 5-year long road. I may even offer one to the pink elephant. Just because I’m nice. As long as it takes the cupcake and leaves!

Enjoy!

Take care of yourself!

And don’t let no pink (or other color) elephants take over your life!

The recipe was adapted from this recipe of a flourless almond cake http://mishdelish.com/recipe/gluten-free-flourless-almond-cake-recipe/

Oct25
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When life throws you lemons, make lemonade. And be sure it’s pink!

We often can’t control the circumstances that we’re forced to deal with, but we can be in charge of how we react to them and what we make out of the whole situation. I hate to be preachy about it, but it seems we only have two choices, to either crumble under the weight of a burden or try putting one foot in front of the other and drag, crawl, pull and propel yourself no matter how slow and painful the process is.

Not every time you’ll be successful, sometimes you’ll give up and crawl away. God knows I’ve had plenty of those moments, and many life lessons are still a work in progress. Just remember if it’s truly something you need to learn, you’ll always get another opportunity, and even if you may fail that one too, there will be yet another one ahead, as long as you don’t give up on one day finally getting it right.

The most important lesson I learned during the 8 months of cancer treatment is to love myself and to put myself first. And then over the past 5 years, I got to re-learn this lesson over and over again and realize that putting yourself first really means in all and every areas in your life, health, family, relationships, work and everything else. I don’t mean to sound incredibly selfish as it’s not about self-obsession and indulgence, but it is about making sure you’re always on a forefront of getting your needs met and giving yourself enough of attention.

If you’re undergoing cancer treatment right now, facing it in the future or had one in the past, and need somebody to talk to and get some cancer information and resources or help you getting re-integrated back into post-treatment life, Cancer Care is the best resource for all kind of cancer-related information and assistance. They offer face-to-face, over the phone or online individual and group counseling and different workshops to get you through the difficult period in your life. Please contact www.cancercare.org for more information, financial assistance and resources.

What’s Cooking This Week

When you think of life lessons, you always get some bitter-sweet feeling, there is usually a sense of loss and a sense of a triumph, both are intertwined to create an unforgettable experience. This is exactly what this recipe is about, it’s a little bitter, and a little tart and it is definitely sweet. All flavors are perfectly blended to produce a delicate looking dessert that nevertheless has a “foundation and inner strength” to stand on its own.

Pink Series: Recipe # 8

Pink Lemonade Mousse Bars

For the crust:

1 1/4 cups of flour (I used gluten free Classic Blend by Authentic Foods + 1 tspoon of xanthan gum)

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

10 Tbspoons of unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into smaller pieces

1/2 tspoon of lemon zest

a pinch of salt

In a bowl, combine together flour, lemon zest and powdered sugar. In a food processor, combine together sugar mixture and butter until all is incorporated, and a loose dough forms. Butter the cake pan, you can either use a 9 x 9 square inch pan lined with parchment paper or the one with removable bottom, which is what I used, I had the round one. Press the dough into the bottom of the cake pan to create a crust.

Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and then bake the crust for 20-25 minutes.

For the filling:

3 1/2 cups of chopped strawberries

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of sugar (depending on the taste of strawberries and how sweet you want it)

2 eggs

2/3 cups of flour (I used gluten free Classic Blend by Authentic Foods + 1/2 tspoon of xanthan gum)

1/2 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice

lemon zest from 2 large lemons

In a blender or food processor, first blend the strawberries, then add sugar, then eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest until all is well blended. Gradually add the flour and blend again to make sure no lumps are left. Pour the strawberry mixture over baked crust.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let it cool off and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting it. If you used a square pan, you can just cut into smaller squares. I however used a biscuit cutter to make cute round bars. It’s a little taste of summer to keep in your heart while facing winter months up ahead.

Enjoy!

Oct5
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Sometimes you’re faced with your biggest fears, and sometimes you’re faced with fears you didn’t know you had. You can try to run and hide, but they’ll still cross your path any way your turn. Then you need to just turn around and face them. You may not always have a shining armour to protect you, but you’ll definitely be a winner no matter how many wounds you end up getting in a battle.

On a day when I saw the doctor about the lump in my breast that I just found, I was immediately sent for a biopsy. Standing outside the doctor’s office that cold February afternoon, for a minute there, I thought of turning around and going home. I can’t tell you exactly how many different emotions were running through my head, all I wanted to just be in my bed and fall asleep and not to think about it, at least for a while, put it aside, run from it, for now…

And then something else inside me, my own spirit and probably my Guardian Angels watching over me, propelled me into action and on a mission that ultimately saved me and brought to the point where I am today, healthy and looking forward to the future. Only now I know that any kind of procrastination may have put me in a much worse prognosis and outcome category.  So potentially that was “make it or break it” point. And I made it work!

Facing your fears is never easy, it’s hard to make that first step towards whatever it is  that terrifies you, but once you do, you get that elated feeling of having crossed over to the side where fears become accomplishments, and you no longer have to hesitate and back down if presented with the challenge again.

If undergoing some medical testing or a procedure has always been one of your fears, because you’re afraid of what might be found, face your fear and make that first step. It may literary save your life! Knowing the facts, no matter how difficult they may be, is always so much better than remaining in a dark. Knowing it is conquering the fear and taking steps towards recovery if necessary, pushing it aside is continuing a cycle of constant terrors that may at the end haunt you down and kill you.

Be very brave and make that first step, see you doctor today! Your own spirit will thank you for that!

To learn more about breast cancer risk factors, screening and diagnosis, please visit:

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/screening.htm

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/breast/Patient/page1

http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/

http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedfiles/content_binaries/806-372a.pdf

What’s Cooking This Week

Cooking some spicy dishes has always been one of the challenging areas for me, just because I don’t particularly enjoy eating spicy foods. A little “zing” in your mouth is usually OK with me, but feeling like you’re eating uranium is generally not on a list of my favorite things. To the contrary, my son loves everything spicy, so satisfying us both is often a tricky road that I’m still learning to navigate. This recipe was a perfect compromise featuring some sweet and spicy undertones and hitting all the right notes for us both.

Pink Series: Recipe # 2

Grilled Pork Chops with Blackberry-Ginger Sauce

4-5 pork chops

2  small containers of blackberries

1/4 cup of honey (more if you want a sweeter sauce)

1/4 cup of lemon juice

1 Tbspoon of balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tbspoon of freshly minced ginger

1 minced chili pepper

1 tspoon each dried oregano and paprika

3-4 rosemary sprigs

salt, pepper, olive oil

Drizzle each pork chop with some salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, rosemary and olive oil, set them aside to marinate for about 15-20 minutes.

In a mean while make the blackberry sauce. Smash the berries and mix them with the rest of the ingredients, transfer to a sauce pot and cook for about 10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. Set it aside to cool off.

Grill pork chops according to your specifications.

Serve immediately pouring some sauce on top. The dish is simple, but the flavors are definitely complex, serving it alongside just a salad seems enough to appreciate it.

Enjoy!

May17
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Picture Puzzle Piece

One picture puzzle piece

Lyin’ on the sidewalk.

One picture puzzle piece

Soakin’ in the rain.

It might be a button of blue

On the coat of the woman

Who lived in a shoe.

It might be a magical bean,

Or a fold of the red

Velvet robe or a queen.

It might be the one little bite

Of the apple her stepmother

Gave to Snow White.

It might be the veil of a bride

Or a bottle with some evil genie inside.

It might be a small tuft of hair

On the big bouncy belly

Of Bobo the Bear.

It might be a bit of the cloak

Of the Witch of the West

As she melted to smoke.

It might be a shadowy trace

Of a tear that runs down an angel’s face.

Nothing has more possibilities

Than an old wet picture puzzle piece.

 – Shel Silverstein

The possibilities are indeed endless, it all depends on what it is exactly you’re trying to build, but at the end, no matter how simple or complicated the puzzle is, all pieces are just supposed to fit together in a perfect union. Jamming in or pretending a piece will “just do” is not going to complete the task, you’re bound to either constantly rub against the sharp edges or simply fall apart at a slight touch because no real connection was holding it together.

Often though it’s hard to know where exactly you belong to and what your connecting pieces are as you’re not even sure what the theme of your puzzle is. You could, in fact, be a piece of a queen’s robe and trying to portray a mighty kingdom and a fairytale life. Or you could be a small tear on an angel’s face exhausted from completing all the good deeds needed for that day (yes, even angels get frustrated and tired). Or maybe you’re just a big white in-between piece that doesn’t show anything but is still holding an important job of being a connecting link between the neighboring pictures. If you don’t know the name of your story, you’ll never find where exactly you belong to.

And yet again sometimes you have no ways to find out the theme of your puzzle or you can’t see the big picture from the prospective of a tiny puzzle piece, or maybe you just want to create a completely new story even if you still have all the same parts.  Those are all valid possibilities, but none are possible to see any end if everything around you is already rigid and set in place. The only way becomes to completely break down the whole puzzle, shake up the pieces, maybe even sit in a rubble and grieve over ”what could’ve been” and ponder the reasons why certain roads could not be taken. There is no shame in breaking down, if you need a new theme, you’ll also need a new foundation, and that could only be reached if you dig deep inside.

And if you sit in a wreckage and have no idea how to connect any pieces together and what the whole picture should be, reach for the core, those are usually the biggest and brightest pieces, this is where the puzzle starts and what makes it unique. Then look for more pieces that complete, safeguard and nurture the core, without those, the core can’t be more than just a lump of colors and images. And even if you don’t know how to proceed beyond that point, and you do realize it may take you a long time to see the finished product, your puzzle is already alive, pulsating, like an embryo, with a vital energy and a loving light from within.

What’s Cooking This Week

Speaking of the core and finding the connecting pieces. Sometimes when you want to introduce some new ingredients, you need to “bridge” them with something more familiar and versatile. I love, love brussel sprouts, but they are the unfortunate step-child among other vegetables, hated by many, often camouflaged and served as punishment to misbehaving little children. It’s time to make them a true Cinderella and let them shine on their own :)

Roasted Chicken With Mushrooms And Brussels

8 pieces of chicken, any part you like, skin and bone-in   

1 small container of whole mushrooms (I used baby Bella)

1/2 container/bag of brussels

salt, pepper

dry herbs (I used Italian blend, celery seeds and cumin)

chopped fresh herbs (I used curly parsley)

olive oil spray

The recipe is quiet simple, everybody knows how to roast a chicken, I think it’s all about the herbs and spices that you use so choose the ones you like, I do like a combo of cumin and celery seeds to compliment the subtle bitterness of the brussels.

Cut the brussels in half and remove outer leaves and stems. Wash and dry chicken pieces, brussels and whole mushrooms. Spray a deep baking dish with olive oil spray. Place chicken and veggies in and season both sides with all the desired herbs and spices, arrange them in a single layer and bake at 400 for about 45 minutes or until chicken juices run clean and brussels are soft but not over-cooked. Garnish with fresh herbs. For a complete healthy meal, have some brown rice on a side. Enjoy!

Apr27
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The Double Rainbow

Once I saw a rainbow

Over the ocean blue

Encompassed by a shadow

Of every color and hue.

It was a double rainbow

Most beautiful to see

 And underneath the rainbow

Were two sails upon the sea.

 I think it was God’s message

 Quite old, and get still new

 It takes both rain and sunshine

 To make the lovely view.

As we go along life’s highway

 A lot of rain must fall.

 But we can find the rainbow

When the sun shines over all.

 So, if you feel discouraged

And don’t know what to do

Just trust for God’s own sunshine

To bring a rainbow over you.

Virginia M. King

Life is just like that, full of stripes. You get the bold ones, the pastel ones, the ones you like, and the ones that make your head spin. Yet they all fit perfectly together, and the rainbow would not be complete without any of them. Each stripe brings its tone, taste and the skills necessary to get through to the next one, it’s all a matter of adaptability, resiliency and faith that it will all work out at the end.

And it will. Maybe not in a way that we’ve imagined it or wished for, but where human perception is fickle and fallible, the Universal order is always precise. We receive the exact things to propel us forward on our unique path and just enough lemons for our own cup of lemonade. But it’s up to us to come up with the sugar amount.

I always said “I’m glad I had cancer” no matter how bizarre it sounds to other people. Yes, of course, I’d  rather go without the gruelling physical ordeal of the treatment and some lingering side effects that are still there 5 years later. But how else would I know how strong I can be, and that beauty is just the light that comes from within you and not the length of your hair, the color of your cheeks and a perfect body untouched by a scalpel that make you look in a mirror and truly love yourself?! How else would I know that you’re still a child to your mother no matter how old you are, and that you can feel little again and be sustained by a bond that is as old as life itself and just know that it will always be there within your reach even after you’re back into your “adult” life?! How else would I know how to love, comfort and care for another cancer survivor and when they say “the cure has been worse than the disease itself” you’ll understand what they mean?! How else would I know what life really is and what must be done to stay “alive”, both in your body and soul?!

How else would I know who I really am if I haven’t seen both sides of me, the rain and the sunshine?! Now it’s up to me to keep the rainbow up in the sky :)

 What kind of stripes have you seen?

What’s Cooking This Week

A rainbow of vegetables, of course. The sweet ones, the tart ones, some spices and juices and then some “binding” to hold it all together. It’s good for the soul. And your body will most definitely thank you too. :)

Low Carbs Stuffed Peppers

4 large peppers, tops cut off and insides cleaned          

1 lb mixed ground chicken and turkey

1/4 cup instant oatmeal

1 small yellow squash (or zucchini), grated

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup ketchup 

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 tspoon garlic powder

1 tspoon Italian herbs blend

salt, pepper

fresh herbs, chopped

Combine all the ingredients and stuff into peppers. Bake at 375 for about an hour or until peppers are cooked through. Pour some tomato sauce over peppers and garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Apr22
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We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors,

we borrow it from our children.

                                  - Proverb

It’s Earth day, and it’s all about the earth and nature today, in a literal sense. It’s been raining cats and dogs and probably bunnies too, and we very much needed it, again, in any sense possible. This spring hasn’t seen much rain so far, and with warmer than usual weather, the “April showers” are much awaited rain to fill the city reservoirs and also to remind us that Nature has its own balance, and the less we interfere with it (no matter how inconvenient it becomes), the more we get to have back in the bounty of all the nourishment it produces.

As a true city child, I don’t get close to nature too often, but I know I really should, as nature is the best healer for both body and soul, and I need healing on both levels. The contemplative stillness of gazing up into the sky, listening to the ocean waves and watching nature to unfold its beauty, it’s all within your reach if you make time for it. Even in the middle of the city.

The plan for today was to spend a few hours by the Pond in Central Park, maybe walk along 5th Avenue, right by the park’s border. I love the Pond, to me it holds very special memories and a true sense of healing. In-between each chemo session during my cancer treatment, when I felt like I had enough strength to venture out, I went to Central Park and spend lazy afternoons by the water watching my son play and soaking the healing energy of the sun and the quiet determination I held inside to push through and get well. I wanted to go back to the bittersweet memories and to connect back to my spirit to get better and be healed again. And I did want to pay the tribute to our spot on earth, the city :)

And the city is truly beautiful this time of the year, full of blooming tulips and cherry blossoms, and if you stay away from the usual “touristy” spots, you hear the city’s voice giving a way to the sounds of spring and a whisper of nature. The plan naturally got scratched because of the rain.

What’s Cooking This Earth Weekend

Even though it’s raining, we can still celebrate what the earth has to offer and give thanks to the vital nourishment it always provides to the body and soul. Our Earth Day the rainy city style – living room “picnic” complete with herbal tea and delicious sandwiches. Apparently, April is a national grilled cheese sandwich month. So, what could be better than to combine cheese and veggies to make our own Grilled Cheese and Veggies Earth Day :) ?! And since I’m using daiya, a plant-based cheese, for my sandwich, it is truly “all earth’s gifts” sandwich.

Sweet Potato And Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich

4 slices of bread (I used Udi’s gluten free millet bread for my sandwich)

1 medium sweet potato, cut in 1/2 inch rounds

1/2 avocado, sliced

1 medium tomato, sliced

a handful of baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella style daiya (or 4 slices regular dairy cheese)

Earth Balance oil spread (or butter)

barbecue sauce

salt and spices

olive oil or cooking spray

(makes 2 sandwiches)

Lay a cookie sheet with foil and spread some oil or spray with oil spray, arrange sweet potato rounds in a single layer, sprinkle with some salt and spices and bake at 400 until done. Butter the outer sides of each bread slice and start assembling your sandwiches. Spread some barbecue sauce on each bread slice, put some daiya shreds (or 1 slice of cheese), top with sweet potato rounds, avocado and tomato slices and baby spinach, season the tomatoes if desired, top with more daiya (or cheese) and cover with another bread slice.

In a frying pan, heat up some olive oil and cook the sandwiches (pressing with the spatula occasionally to melt the cheese evenly) until done. Serve immediately. They go nicely with rosehips and honey herbal tea. Enjoy!

Mar23

Flower Power

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   This week, I’ve been pondering the concepts of Hope and Living in the Now (both are very handy things when you don’t feel your best and just hope that nothing serious is going on, yet again, and maybe, just maybe, one of these days doctors will find a cure to stop all my ailments). Hey, I warned you, some of the posts will contain rants or whining, this is one of them, partially :)

     The concept of Hope is as old as Humanity is, without it, we’re just empty shells with no dreams, aspirations and a direction in life. We are introduced to the concept at a very early age, when our parents speak to us referring to all the wonderful dreams they have for us (often, a derivative of their own unfulfilled dreams). We grow up constantly being oriented into the future, when all those hopes will finally come to fruition (no matter how unattainable they are, that’s why they are hopes and dreams, the psychological connection to those hypothetical future moments becomes as important as having those moments actually fulfilled in life). And some of them do become reality, with a lot of active involvement and also being “in the right time” as everything in life the way it’s supposed to be, and nothing is coincidental.

     And as we become parents themselves, we continue on installing dreams and hopes in our own children and often lament or grieve the aspirations that we didn’t see materialize. Day after day, our cognition and emotions are either future or past-oriented, or often both, as again, we “transfer” our dreams onto our children with the hope of finally having them transformed into reality. We’ve perfected the “Future” and the “Past”, but in the process, we’ve lost the “Now”. We do not pay attention anymore what good is going on at this second (even if that good is a tiny pebble among a whole canyon of difficulties), and we don’t want to receive the many great things that are within our reach right at this moment (we’d rather wait for the most wonderful things that are “promised” to us in the future only to find out that many of them will remain just that, dreams).

     The importance of Hope is valuable as being a part of human existence and a connection to miracles that may be one day bestowed upon us, but the importance of Living in the Now is immeasurable as a connection to your own Spirit and the World around you that is very much reachable and welcoming of all your “Now” dreams and aspirations.

     My “miracle” hopes are that one day I will wake up and be completely healthy and cured of all past, current and future illnesses, that there will be some magic pill that I can take and erase not only multiple ailments but also any fears that some old or new diseases will crop up, but chances are, it will probably never happen, but if I lose that hope, I will also lose a will to live. Hope is very important, as we just agreed on that. But while I wait for that magic pill to be discovered, I’m also desperately trying to find some sense and motivation to feel that every single day, no matter how bad it was, had some joyous moments and small accomplishments and maybe even some tiny steps towards that “One Big Dream”. If I lose that, I will not only lose a will to live but also a sense of self and a connection to the Divine Spirit that is in all of us. As the Universe has no time and no past and future, it only exists in the Now. We need that Now connection to remain both human and divine and continue on our chosen path.

     As I was coming home after a particularly hectic day, I passed a store full of spring flowers. A vibrant and fragrant call of the flower display was the best moment of that day. And I can probably wait till I get a huge bouquet presented to me by “the man of my dreams”, or maybe a mysterious stranger sends it with an admiration note (hey, it’s a dream, and I can make it any way I want it). Or I can own the very essence of spring spirit right now, and enjoy all the wonderful moments the flowers can bring me today.

     The importance of believing that a perfect stranger is already thinking of sending me flowers is unquestionable, the importance of buying yourself flowers today is immense!

 

What’s Cooking This Week

 

     This week is all about hopes and dreams, the “Big Ones” and in the “Now”. One day I hope I will be able to take a ride through Italian countryside, and hopefully, a companion will be wonderful too! But I can also bring warm and sunny Italy into my home right now, that’s why we are having Tuscan Soup this week.

    A traditional Tuscan Soup is made with crumbled sausage, potatoes, cream, spinach and sweet peppers. I’m cooking a healthy version of that dish, tiny turkey meatballs are added instead of sausage (you can also add sliced Portobello mushrooms instead to make it vegan) and I’m skipping spinach as I want to garnish the soup with fresh scallions (the idea is for all the flavors to compliment not compete with each other).

Tuscan Soup With A Twist

 

 

1 whole cauliflower head, cut into smaller pieces

3 large or 4 medium potatoes, cut

15 mini bell peppers or 2 large ones, sliced very thin

1 lb ground turkey

1/4 cup instant oatmeal

fresh scallions, cut for garnish

salt, pepper, spices like basil and oregano

     In a large pot boil cauliflower and potatoes in a slated water until done, reserve some water, strain and let them cool off. Boil another pot of water (just enough to cover all the meatballs), add oatmeal and some salt/pepper/spices to ground turkey, mix well and form tiny meatballs. I like to add oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs as it binds really well without making meatballs mushy and without adding extra carbs to the mixture :) Cook meatballs until half-way done and then add sliced peppers, cook all until fully done, do not strain.

     In a blender combine cauliflower, potatoes and some of the reserved water untill well blended, add more spices as needed. You may also add some milk or cream if you like, but to me, the base was pretty creamy and didn’t require any additional thickeners.

     Combine this base with meatballs, peppers and the soup water they were cooking in and bring it all to a boil on a very low flame. Garnish with scallions or fresh herbs as desired. You’ll end up with a big pot of soup, it freezes well and can be a quick yet satisfying lunch option.  And, trust me, the kids won’t know there is cauliflower in it, mine had two bowls at once, and he passionately hates cauliflower :) Enjoy!