Strength

My God it's not easy. Sometimes my thwarted wants and unmet demands, hopes, preferences, break me in two and my only choice-or so I say- is to stomp around in a big messy baby tantrum. So I indulge. I cry. I moan. I victimize and it still doesn't get me what I want. So I cry and moan and victimize because I can't believe I'm crying and moaning and victimizing again! This is my default. This is where I go when I do not have the courage to find my strength and put it into play for the sake of my own freedom.

I just finished the first half of yoga teacher training and talk about having to dig up and find strength. I recall reaching what I thought was my absolute limit at the end of a crazy intense class in which I found myself with my legs over my head for what felt like a horrific amount of time. And I was being asked to stay there and just breath. are you kidding me?! why?! why must you get pleasure out of torturing me? I cant handle this shit! My ass is in the air perpendicular with my chin damnit! oh man I'm done. This is it. Screw this I cant handle this anymore. All of this running through my mind like mad as tears began to well up in my eyes. And just before I collapsed to the floor in a whimpering pile of sweaty yogi mass something amazing happened...I didnt. I stayed. I breathed. How? I don't know, but I did. And I didn't cry. I stuck it out till the end and I finished the practice in a delirium of exhaustion and triumphant bliss. Some strength, unseen and unknown from a place deep within me was unleashed and those self imposed boundaries that I was cowering behind were knocked down. I did what I was sure that I could not do.

All of a sudden I was free.
I could do anything.
I was stronger and more capable than I had ever dreamed.
Freedom. That's what it felt like. I was liberated.

Lately, most likely due to these breakthroughs on the yoga mat, I've been practicing summoning my own strength in my daily moment to moment existence. When I feel the whimpering, victimizing voice inside me flush in and tempt me with the luscious chance to breakdown, yet again, shake my fists at the world and huddle into my "why me why me's and I can't I can'ts", I withhold. I call upon that silent, still strength that begs to differ. It is cool and calming, ever present. It's the sheild, the bridge I walk to the sea of liberation, the dynamite that blows up my many boundaries and limitations. Quiet, other worldly, a force that emanates experiential truth, "you are not limited to this, by this." Speaking for the eternal, "you are in this world but certainly not of it. You are far, far more than you know." I don't know about you, but I dig that voice a lot more than the one that says things like this, "you could never do that. This is just unacceptable! Totally! You must revolt, fight, I dont know do something but freak out cuz life is not supposed to be this way and you certainly cannot handle whats happening right now. Maybe if you clench your teeth real hard it'll stop and leave you alone, or maybe if you just hide in that dark smelly corner you wont ever have to face whatever is happening. Yeah, let's hide here me and you...forever. Don't worry I'm not going anywhere."

This has become my practice, the thing that is redefining who I think I am. I'm realizing how I've let what I am afraid of facing steer the course of my life. It's the strength to face that fear that shatters and rebuilds my life. It's hard for me. It's so much easier to cower, cry, blame and complain. It's different for everyone, this battle. Where we fall victim to our own limitations differ, but the function is just the same. Maybe it's our resentments, our anger at others, our blame, our victimization, our tyranny, our many addictions or our fear...yeah it's certainly our fear. These are all weaknesses. They are not necessary, but for one reason or another we stick to them like glue. But we can break free. It is possible. You are much more than you know, certainly much more than these limitations make you out to be. Your strength, which lies in the power of your will and choices, is the transformative element ready to set you free. Call upon it and it will carry you.

At least it's been doing so for me. And i am grateful. That isn't to say that I dont crumble still and find myself in need of a strength that, this time, I couldnt find on my own. In those times I fall into the beautiful arms of my husband or my friends, or the base of a tree. And they supply me with the strength that's passed on through a loving touch until I can muster up my own again. We're all in this together. Where I fall short you meet and carry me. And why you cannot make it on your own anymore, I hope you call on me and together we'll find a power both beyond and within us that will forever change the definition of who we think we are.

In the spirit of this I want to talk a bit about Protein. That beautiful little ingredient in our diets that keeps us big and strong.

A lot of people are under the misconception that protein is only found in meat and that vegans and vegetarians are flimsy little wilting flowers that are surely falling apart at the seams without that good 'ol supply of blood and animal innards!

Not quite.

Here are just a few great ways to get more than enough protein without the meat:

1 cup of quinoa: 21g of protein
1 cup tempeh: 30g of protein
1 cup of kidney beans: 15g of protein
1 cup of lentils: 18g of protein
1 cup of tofu: 14g of protein
1 cup of soy milk: 6g of protein
1 cup of seitan: 20g of protein
1 cup of walnuts: 4g of protein
1 slice wholewheat bread: 3g of protein
1 cup of oats: 6g of protein
1 cup of brown rice: 9g of protein
1 cup broccoli: 4g of protein
1 cup of mushrooms: 3g of protein
1 cup of kale: 2g of protein

And unlike their animal counterparts all these protein filled treats are low in fat, free of cholesterol, full of fiber and other life sustaining nutrients. Meat may be high in protein but it is also high in saturated fat, devoid of any fiber and most likely chock full of creepy hormones and antibiotics. Not to mention the juices of death.

Here's a few protein pals that I'd like to further introduce you to...

QUINOA!

Quinoa is amazing! It's a whole grain goody that is jam packed with protein. It contains all the essential amino acids making it what we call a "complete protein". It's also gluten free for those of us with that sensitivity. I love it because it takes half as much time to cook as rice and because it is delicious HOWEVER you want it. Cold, warm, as a side dish or your whole meal it's amazing. Throw some dried cranberries, scallions and lemon juice in and you've got a zesty little snack that's great cold.

Or like this.

Mix with sauteed mushrooms, leeks, kale, fresh arugala and mung beans.
Drizzle with oil and rice vinegar.
The mung beans contain about 14grams of protein per cup, paired with the quinoa with its 21grams per cup this dish is a protein loaded delicious dish.
Experiment! Have fun. Be strong.

TEMPEH!

Made from fermented soy beans and whole grains this funny little food is a mega muscle building protein power house. It's a great substitute for meat and is also gluten free. This is a recipe for tempeh bacon that I love from this fun book:

TEMPEH BACON
1 package Tempeh
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup water
oil for frying

Steam the tempeh
Mix together the liquids
Marinate tempeh in sauce for as long as you like.
Fry up that tempeh and sprinkle more sauce on as it cooks
Cook about 5 minute each side


SEITAN!

No, not satan...SEITAN.
This. Is. A. Delicious. Treat. It's wonderful for people making the transition from meat into the realm of the meatless because of it's texture and taste. It's a great substitute and is pretty much all protein. It's made from wheat gluten and is often called the "wheat meat". It's great as a roast, sauteed and grilled. A lot of "mock meats" at your fav vegetarian restaurant are made from seitan.

And of course there is the good old fashioned nut. I love nuts. I love nuts so much that I have been known to sit on the counter in the kitchen and help myself to spoons full of peanut butter right outta the jar.
Here's a sweet raw dish I make as a dessert that is heavy with protein because of it's nut crust.

RAW FRUIT TART
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw walnuts
water
1 peach sliced
1 nectarine sliced
Bunch of strawberries sliced
Agave syrup

Blend the nuts together with a bit of water in a food processor until it becomes a thick paste. Make sure it's not too wet.
Line the bottom of a casserole dish with the nut mix creating a crust.

Layer in the fruit

Top with the strawberries and drizzle a good amount of agave.
Chill and serve.


If you want to indulge in the SWEETEST most AMAZING thing to hit Los Angeles since I don't know when and want to get a serving of protein you must head to

It's a new raw vegan ice cream parlor in North Hollywood on Ventura. It's unbelievably good. Oh my. I can't even tell you. They have soft serve, shakes, brownies and delicious flavors like Chocolate Almond Butter. They are the only raw ice cream parlor in the whole world and you MUST go! All their treats are made from coconut and nuts, so you are boosting your protein intake with every indulgent little bite.

Beautiful Jimmy likes it.

Mmmmmmm.
http://kindkreme.com/

We go there all the time. If there were anything unhealthy about it I would say that it's becoming a problem. But there's not so I wont.

Last time we were there the lovely owner showed us a little souvenir that the person at the vitamin store next door has...

A Big Mac from 1997

I am not kidding here. For reals. The lettuce died but the bun, cheese and meat patty did not. It's a chemical laden lump of ancient fake food death!

Ugh. Scary. I don't think I'd call that strong, I think I'd call that nuclear. Gah. Isn't food supposed to break down and like...decompose and stuff?? Our poor colons. Screw your golden arches Ronald McDonald.

Be strong you beautiful thing you. Just say no.