~ real food, balanced living ~
When the boys were young, we would road trip from Ottawa to Kennebunkport in the summer listening to books on tape between rounds of 20 Questions (the cassette days!). Our favorite at the time was Andrew Weil — or “Wild” as our youngest used to call him — well-loved pioneer of integrative medicine. The boys would listen with us and occasionally chime in with their own wisdom (speaking of golden oldies). It was a fun way to stay connected and learn together….
The inspiration for these blushing beauties came from a surprisingly delicious radish salad my husband and I had for breakfast last summer in LA (yes, breakfast!) — despite my initial reservations when I saw it on the morning menu, I was completely smitten. The radish salad was served on buttered sourdough (base layer) with generous chunks of avocado over top, fresh dill and lemon juice (oh, and some fresh ground pepper and a poached egg on the side) — so good! …
Breathing techniques, meditation and yoga are all well known for helping us engage our parasympathetic nervous systems (the rest and digest branch of our nervous system) and when practiced regularly, they’re among the most powerful and effective ways of maintaining equanimity. Sometimes though, complementary tools can be very helpful as a bridge to transition — a way of helping us establish grounding connection in moments of overwhelm (the fight or flight branch of our nervous system) when our pulse is racing and we’re under the influence of heightened emotion — fear, alienation, fragmentation, whatever it may be. Those times when we may not feel up to taking out our mat and just need a moment.
Different approaches work for different people and circumstances, but my goal is to simply add to your tool box. Some of these ideas may seem less conventional but I’m guessing that if you’re here, you’re probably open to exploring.
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This is what happens when you’re craving carrot cake and banana bread with equal intensity and can’t bring yourself to choose. …
It’s funny how the change of season can revive your interest in certain foods; I’ve been craving smoked salmon and cream cheese in a big way. My husband likes rye bread (especially with caraway) so I started playing around with the two ideas and I’m really happy with the result.
I bought a round cutter set last year and it’s proving to be so useful! I used to use the back of a glass but the thing that’s great about the cutters, beyond all the shapes, is that they have those sharp edges that make short work of the bread while creating a perfect circle every time. …
I once read that our family stories are lost in just three generations.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately; earlier generations of mothers and fathers – those who birthed us and those who nurtured us in other ways. Those who came from distant shores and changed the course of their lives, and ours, forever; most of whom we’ll never know. Not just because we won’t get to meet them during our lifetime, but because they’re not generally part of our conversations. Bit by bit, their stories are forgotten. …
If you’re mulling over your summer-fall travel plans, I have a thought. The coastal town of Mendocino, offering some of the most breathtaking natural landscapes in California, is an undiscovered jewel relative to other NorCal seaside destinations (and I seriously considered leaving it that way).
Mendocino’s somewhat remote location is both its challenge and its charm. Zigzagging (literally) 3.5 hours north of San Francisco, it’s not as easily accessed as some of the more popular tourist destinations which is one of the reasons we love it so much….
I’m thinking we skip the intros today and head straight to these yum bites. Sound good? …
Blue skies are back and the sun is sitting a little higher. Light is filtering in broken color through the lemons and cherry flowers and I’m watching a bunch of honey bees floating between pink petals, their sharp buzzing no match for the orchestral arrival of the birds (did you know that songbirds have two sets of vocal cords – humans have one – which allows them to produce two different sounds simultaneously? No wonder they can belt out a tune)….
You’re looking at one of my favorite I have no idea what to make for dinner dinners. Served in the company of a scrumptious spring cauliflower salad with roasted chickpea, fresh mint and apple that you can find here (sweet Marie, so unique and tasty). …