Alpha and Omega

There is the age old controversy about blending or juicing. 

If you're with Camp Juice n' Swalla, you want to ask your juicer sales clerk, "Is this a masticator?"  If your clerk looks puzzled, move along.

This reminds me of a talent show at a retreat center not too long ago.  A nice fellow - a regular -  got up and announced that his talent was comedy.

He starts the joke:  "Whaddya call a vegan who likes to pleasure himself?"

My brain stopped because I just couldn't reconcile 3 things:  Sweet, Middle-Aged Guy + Clean Diet + a possible Dirty Joke.

All of a sudden, a sweet, mousy Colon Hygienist yells out, "Master Cleanser!"

A second time, "Master Cleanser!!"   Just in case no one had heard. 

It wasn't the answer and I can't remember what the punchline was, because frankly, there was enough to amuse me for years:  Sweet Middle-Aged Guy plus Clean Diet plus possible Dirty Joke plus Sweet Mousy Woman who roto-rooters backsides yelling out a much commercialized formula (hello maple syrup and lemon juice at the end cap of every supermarket aisle come Springtime!).

So back to juicing.  There's a way a masticating juicer wrings out your dandelion greens, your wheatgrass, your Swiss chard to release all the sunshine from cell walls right into your glass.

And among my kitchen appliances, I love my Omega.  I just love the company.  I had broken the juicing screen once.  The company shipped out the part, pronto.  Several months later, I had broken it again.  No questions asked, the company shipped out the part again.  All I had to do was send a jpeg of the broken piece. 

Are there other masticating juicers that could be more durable in terms of pieces?  Probably.  I'm sure if money was no object, there might be a titanium machine.  But some of us don't have that disposable currency at the moment.  And even if we liquidate our IRA's to purchase one, we just can't schlep it around like the Omega.  So, for now, I'll hold off on Alpha and keep my Omega.

My mother’s nursing home informed she was not eating well as before.

Not having seen her during the pandemic — perhaps that was a contributing factor.

What is it that I could do aside from the practical? Irving Berlin’s What’ll I Do haunts and consoles me over the years of losing my mother in bits and pieces over the years

And now, this matter of her not eating...

It reminded me of a ditty discovered in a borrowed book five years ago.

The words typed on a piece of paper fell out just before I was ready to eat my midday meal.

An Affirmation to My Body:

I recognize you are the temple in which my spirit and creative energy dwell.

I have created you from my need to have my spirit manifest on earth so that I may have this time to learn and grow.

I offer you this food that you may continue to sustain my creative energy, my spirit, my soul.

I offer this food to you with love, and a sincere desire for you to stay in harmony.

I accept you as my creation.

I need you.
I love you.
(Author unknown)

My mother used to have us say grace at the table. The ritual became lost to me for decades for many reasons.

But reading this slip of paper reminded me of my ongoing relationship with my body. How many times do I harp on the imperfections of my flesh instead of the form and function I take for granted?

Could a silent expression of gratitude and love before eating be just as important to digestive health as probiotics, prebiotics, raw, vegan, wild-caught, grass-fed, nonGMO, glutenfree, Omega-this, Omega-that, and so forth? Why not?

So I'll place it in my lunch bag, maybe commit it to memory. Let's see.

She was relaxed when I held her because she knew she was loved. I never regretted not having human children because Ola was mine.

Can Someone Make This For Me?

It looks so simple, right? And it is. But after 9 hours of work it’s a bit tough. And yet I love being a working woman. I like going out and doing what I do. I get to hear the news. I get to see funny bumper stickers on cars waiting for the light to turn green.

But I make time for my artist self. A lot of it is food creation. I put in the work over and over again until I am in flow. I do it for myself. And then I am one with spirit. I may follow the recipe and then make it better… So, I just found the answer to my question. No one can make this soup for me. Because I love the way it tastes whan I make it. Perhaps one day, I will love anything someone gives me. Perhaps.

Salad for Days: Brocc On

How does one do salad for days?. . Just put in what you know you love. For me, it’s broccoli. That red oak leaf lettuce looks like the butterfly who loves brocc’n beans.

Build You Up

Hello gorgeous!

Love me some Buttercup that builds me up sans the post-sugar down. Jeez, this reads like a Haiku.

Anyway, Happy Easter(!) from this nominal christian.

By the by, why is Passover’s bread flat and Easter’s bread puffy?

Love is on your plate

Hydrate with some watermelon hearts. I love my chocolate, but why not try something new ?

Food and Flower

Given the signal that perhaps, we are ready to resume “normal” , the restaurateurs would be gearing up for a revival.

With this renaissance, might we take it to another stratosphere?

Let’s uplevel in food pairing. What would James Beard and co. come up with if they were alive?

There’s tapas/wine pairings; Rijoja and something small with garlic! And not to be wine snobs, we would be remiss to omit sausage/beer pairings. And don’t forget sushi/saki pairings.

Now, how about a pairing that involves food and flower?

Imagine the waiter beguiles: “ We have a beautiful Pastitsio with Cassia as tonight’s special. The bechamel has a unique hint of clove that complements the sweet scent of cassia blossoms.'“

This “new-normal” is enough to bring back the long-haulers’ taste/smell senses back. Believe and practice. If being surrounded by gorgeous flowers and exquisite meals to test the senses is a a practice, then discipline will not be so much a challenge.

Super Nut

These beauties are not from California. I cracked them open during a visit to Tennessee years ago. No need to label them “organic”, “non-GMO”, “AHA-certified” and so on…

But anywhere you get it — anyhow you have it — the walnut will do your brain a lot of good. It’s got fiber, protein and the omegas. All of these factors improve cognition, motor skills and emotional well-being.

The essential fatty acid is ALA/Omega-3. Note that ALA must convert to EPA and/or DHA to be beneficial. If there is doubt, stick with cold-water fish.

Cereal - Ceriously

Winter wheatberries & mung beans make for a good breakfast or lunch. 90 minutes in a rice cooker is all you need. Set it and forget it.

Peppermint Plus Lavender

Among some things (talking with girlfriends, watching old movies…) that helped me get through these tough times was chocolate. After munching so many different kinds due to what was available, I found the ONE.

Ditalini Dish

My latest obsession is the ditalini pasta. They are tiny and quick to get to al dente mode. Once drained through a colander, I place in a large bowl. I then throw in some walnut pieces from a bag. Then snip, snip whatever herbs you have (I had plenty of parsley). And you are ready to have a bowl of pasta ready to eat.