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.

Service

Sometimes I'm flushed with the opulence of my life. In this country, in this city, in this household, in this family, in this healthy body within this gorgeous world I am alive. My goodness. When I take a moment to really let the richness of existence sink beneath the outer layer of my periphery I am overcome with gratitude, reverence. And almost immediately I am met with the urge to give back, to reach out, to share some of this sweet sweet sweetness. I'm not alone in this. We all know what it's like when our hearts are flooded and, if but for a moment, we truly understand what it means to have our cups runneth over-it makes a person want to give back, serve.

Serve. What a word. How bout that. I want to serve you. I want to love you. I want to lay myself before you and make an incarnation of love out of my very life. Wow. At any moment we can ask ourselves, "How can I give at this moment?" Maybe I can listen deeply to what this person is saying to me right now, let go of this tinkering urge to get my turn to speak. Maybe I can give them my attention. Or maybe I can focus in and really feel the water on my skin as I wash my hands, I can appreciate this sensation, the miracle of my ability to feel. I can pick up this trash. I can RECYCLE this bottle even though it would be so much easier to just throw it in this trash bin. I can smile more at these strange and beautiful creatures that share this planet and even more strange and beautiful existence with me. It helps them feel at ease in a world that is often so hard to find our way through, yes I can serve them with my smile. I can, at any and every moment find a way to be of service. It's a state of mind. An intention. A widening of our narrow vision of the world as a thing to bring us pleasure and meet all of our demands.

There's a something in our souls that drives us to be of service. It's a deep intuitive aching that asks us to put ourselves aside, lift our chins from our chests and point our gaze outward. And it's in the doing that we're freed, finally, of our heavy baggage of me my and mine. In the reaching out do we find the reaching back, the holding of.

I keep thinking of Mothers Day. I went to visit my mom at her church on Sunday morning. She helps out in the "disabilities ministry". She serves there. I walked into a room full of people with all different types of limitations, physical and mental. And yet there was so much joy. There was laughter. There was singing. There was dancing and innocent expression unselfconscious. And my mother was there, with a few others, guiding the class gently along. The acceptance and pure joy was palpable. Instantly, as I aided where I could, my so called problems and insecurities were lifted and vanished. I thought, "this is service? this is selflessness? well if it is sign me up. Because I've never felt so grateful, I've never felt so in awe. No where in all my self satisfying aims have I ever found such freedom."

Reminds me of some brilliance from our William Shakespeare, "the more I give to thee the more I have". He was actually talking about love, but I suppose there really is no difference.

Lets go on and bring it all back home. There is a very large machine that runs mainly on deception, greed and an overall assumption that human beings don't care about anything but pleasuring themselves. Even if that means torture, disease, destruction and death-even of themselves-which is exactly what this machine produces. One of the most powerful things that can be done in service of the planet, the human race, the creatures of the world and ourselves is to NOT support this machine. By adopting a plant based diet we serve this cause. For me, being a vegan is the most immediate and transformational way that I can be of service.

Want to do something to save the environment? Eat a plant based diet.
Cattle grazing(cattle that will soon be slaughtered for consumption) is the number one factor in destruction of the rain forest, which supplies us with 40% of the planets oxygen.
One steak is responsible for 17 times more water pollution than a bowl of noodles.
Dairy cows produce millions of tons of waste filed with antibiotics and growth hormones that seep into the earth and water supply.

Want to end world hunger? Eat a plant based diet.
50% of corn grown in the US is eaten by animals and only 8% is grown for human use. 1.2 billion people do not have enough to eat every day and yet we devote most of our land and energy to feeding livestock.
It takes a whole lot to get that patty of meat in between those hamburger buns. Tons of land, power and water so that an already obese society can have a little more Mc'y D's. Imagine if we used that land, power, water and intention into planting rice and potatoes-we might just be able to feed a worlds worth of starving people.

Want to help your fellow man? Eat a plant based diet.
Watch "Fast Food Nation" and learn about the GREAT exploitation of the workers in the fast food industry. And when you're done head on down to your local farmers market and support your fellow man with buying a bag full of organic carrots and broccoli.

Ever stop to think of the violence that is needed to be cultivated in a person who works in a slaughterhouse? I have read accounts of unbearably cruel things that I wont even share here. Why encourage that descent in your fellow man? Violence in the world is a problem that can only be solved in you. Every bite you take is vote for what you want to see in the world.


Want to serve your fellow creatures? Eat a plant based diet.
Humanity. There is a great softness, a compassion and kindness that is capable of tremendous love in the human being. Open your eyes and it will open your heart. We are stewards.

It's not humane. It's not like it used to be. It's not. Ever been to a slaughter house? Ever seen a room full of over crowded chickens with their beaks cut off so they don't peck each other to death because they are so stressed out? Ever seen a dumpster full of living baby boy chicks left to die because there really isn't much profit in anything but egg bearing hens? Ever seen the look in the eyes of a cow as it gets forced into a strange building that it doesn't understand save for the smell of blood, the cries of the other cows and the palpable fear and anxiety? This is meat.

Let there be love. Every time you opt for the veggie burger at a bbq you are saving lives. Go you!


Want to show yourself a little love? Eat a plant based diet.
It's really amazing how you feel, how you look, what you learn and how you grow. Love yourself and your amazing miracle of a body. Serve yourself. Serve your children maybe yet to be born, your future and your dreams with the fuel that will carry you through and not bog you down.

So many ways to serve!

A few weeks ago it was the World Wide Vegan Bake Sale week, a way to raise money for local charities. I baked some treats for the LA one, which ended up raising over a thousand dollars to donate not to mention lots of awareness. Here's the recipe!

APPLE CAKE MUFFINS
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup sawflower oil
1 1/2 cup diced apples, unpeeled (if organic)
1/3 cup apple juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin tin.
Combine dry ingredients and mix.
Combine wet ingredients and mix.
Combine wet and dry and...MIX.
Spoon into muffin tin, top with some pecans and bake for about 40 minutes.

So sweet and sugar free!


Here's a way to indulge in delicious eatery goodness and be serving a wonderful conscious and loving business. Check out

www.hugosrestaurant.com
SO AMAZING! It's in Studio City and I think there is one in Hollywood too. This place is incredible! Whether you re a vegan or not it's got the greatest goods. Organic, macrobiotic, vegan, vegetarian and all around delicious for everyones taste buds. All the soups and dressings are vegan. ;) I went there with my hubby and his sister not too long ago. Yummers!
Vegan spinach tamales


My dinner of roasted veggies and rice with mushroom herb gravy

Jims dinner of black bean chili and rice with spinach lemonade!

Jims dinner after I ate it all



Got a pup who poops? One of my favorite ways to serve the Earth that is oh so easy are these great biodegradable doggy poo bags. It takes thousands of years for a plastic bag to biodegrade and if you're like me with a couple of poopy pooches thats a lotta poopy plastic landfill yuck going on. These are great! I buy mine at Full of Life in Burbank.

She likes them


I think I might have posted this already. But it's worth a second round...
Like a Life-Giving Sun

You could become a great horseman
And help to free yourself and this world
Though only if you and prayer become sweet
Lovers.
It is a naive man who thinks we are not
Engaged in a fierce battle,
For I see and hear brave foot soldiers
All around me going mad,
Falling on the ground in excruciating pain.
You could become a victorious horseman
And carry your heart through this world
Like a life-giving sun
Though only if you and God become sweet
Lovers!

transformation

I like to think that the pull that wakes the slumbering seed from it's dream into a living flower is a memory of something it can't quite name, something warm and infinitely giving, life sustaining, an embrace, a dance, a memory of a time once before but now forgotten, a memory, yes a memory of light. Of sunshine. There was a time once when I gazed up at the face of heaven. I stood. I was something to behold. And lo does the ache to grow begin, in this memory of the flower that that seed once was part of. Up it aches through dirt and it's own heavy shell, blind to the outcome of it's destination but faithful to it's pull.

The face of our new Spring outside your window will show you the result of that seeds faith.

We aren't so different really. I think we can all put a finger on our own pull to transform, to change. Can't find it in yourself? Often it is our own unhappiness, in one way or another, that writhes around until we get the picture that something in our life just isn't working for us anymore and it's time to grow. But, sadly, unlike the seed we are bitterly gifted with the ability to choose. We can question, we can feel our feelings, think our thoughts and know we think our thoughts, we govern, decide, create and all too often fear. We fear. We fear change and what it might bring, what it might ask of us. Fear is a deceitful friend that we keep near enough to scare that urge to change away.

Yet all the while that transformative light is calling to us from somewhere deep within and wholly without to reach it, to touch it, to know it first hand. Come wake and look at the springtime. And the most heartbreaking thing is that we want it, oh so tenderly do we want it. We want to grow, we cannot help but want to grow because that is our very nature, it is the pulse to which our every cell is set. But we shrivel, we hide, we harbor lost dreams and unreached horizons and the burden of what could be but never was is so heavy that we are crushed under it's weight.

I am ready to change. I am so ready to change. I am sick of hurting myself and appalled by the ugliness of the hurt I inflict on others. I want to live. I want to be new. I want to grow and be something beautiful, something settling and bright and a place that Love can lay claim to. I'm ready to grow. I want to be transformed oh plunge me into the scalding water and burn away all my sickness and my hate and give me new eyes. This, I believe, is that pull into the light of whatever you want to call it. There is a memory here. Somewhere in the timelessness of my soul I am being reminded of who I am yet to become. Bring on the humbling look at myself, bring on the pain, bring on the uncertainty and the grasping for a hand in the dark because so often that is exactly what change engenders. I'm ready. Maybe you are too?

Change comes in all shapes levels sounds and flavors. There are a few people in my world who felt the nudge to change in a specific way and bravely followed that feeling. My husband, mother and close friend were recently each inspired to take a leap into a vegan diet. I wanted to share with you some of their experience and how it transformed them.

Inspired as she is, Katherine recently went on a cleanse with her husband and before the end of it they both gave up cigarettes, alcohol, refined sugar and both went completely vegan. They've decided to commit to a vegan diet permanently now.
Why vegan?For Katherine, the main catalyst into vegan-hood was her growing awareness about what the meat and dairy industry are doing to the environment.

just so you know, in 2006 the United Nations had this to say about the meat industry "one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global."
It was her compassion for the planet that made her question and her great love for animals that brought it to another level. She told me how she would never, NEVER hurt an animal and would really look down on anyone who did and it was shocking and humbling for her to realize that for so many years she had been "vicariously hurting them" by eating meat and dairy.

Another just so you know:
90,000 US cows and calves are slaughtered everyday
14,000 US chickens are killed every minute
In 2000 a videotape was leaked out of workers at an Iowa Beef Processors plant in Washington that showed cows being skinned alive, kicking for freedom as their legs were cut off. Another video from 2000 showed pigs at a hog factory being kicked, stomped on and killed by blows to the head with cinder blocks. Pigs who did not measure up to industry standards for sale were picked up by the hind legs and bashed against the floor, a practice called "thumping".

It was this kind of unsettling reality that opened Katherine's heart and eyes and inspired her to change. Now she's helping those animals with every bite she takes and every grocery buck she spends.
What was the most noticeable change she's experienced so far? Greater awareness. Not just about the food that she is eating and how it affects all things, but about the very life that she is living moment to moment. She said that there is something to eating clean, healthy, pure foods that affects not just your body but how you perceive and experience life. There is a clarity, an awakeness in her world that was before muffled and fogged over.

She's a farmers market perusing vegan cooking queen! She and her amazing husband Lukas just bought a dehydrator to keep up with the addition of plenty of raw foods in their diet. And, she's been so inspired that she's started her own blog, http://rawlenapasadena.blogspot.com/. Check it out and keep up with her as she is in the midst of major transformation.


My Mom! She's the greatest. She recently went vegan after having been a vegetarian for 6 years and "Mother's Market and Kitchen" is her go to place for lunch and grocery. They are a chain of Whole Foods ish grocery stores in Orange County. She says her favorite treat is the Vegan Pasole they serve in the hot food bar.

So why the jump to a vegan diet after having been a vegetarian for a steady 6 years? In her own words, "My compassion for animals made me decide to be a vegetarian, and I've been one going on six years. But I felt like, if I truly cared about cruelty done to animals, I would give up eggs and diary as well. So I did, four months ago."

And in that four months she has lost 11 lbs! She hasn't changed her exercise routine so that weight was shed from a simple shift in her diet. And she's not on a carrot and lettuce diet. Some of her favorite treats are Uncle Eddies Vegan Cookies (OMG SO GOOD) and Earth Balance Buttery Spread drizzled on home popped popcorn.

"I put it on almost everything!" she says
To top that her cholesterol has gone down and her cravings for junk food are obsolete! She says that she's also saving money because she's cooking more now instead of eating out all the time. She's in her 40's and found a new reason to be enthusiastic about living and getting to know her body all over again. This seemingly minor change has also helped her to face change fearlessly in all aspects of her life. From relationship changes to moving to a new haircut the woman is transforming!

It's not always the easiest thing though, she's having to deal with the uncomfortable feelings that often come with a great change. In a community where she might be the only vegan she has to deal with people thinking "she's a kook" for not eating meat or dairy. But, she's in it for the long haul. "Meat is gross!" she says-and this coming from a woman who used to eat steak with me!



And then there was Jim. This was a slice of vegan wedding cake that my husband sweetly shared with me at our wedding while I am sure he was eyeing the not-so-vegan-cobbler in the corner. Little did he know then that in not long at all he'd be CHOOSING of his own free will to try this vegan thing out for himself.
He decided to go a full 40 days on a healthy vegan/vegetarian diet. Why? It was a combination of things. Easter was coming and he wanted to make some sort of sacrifice to honor the day and as he was driving up north to San Jose to visit our dear friends he drove past a stretch of feed lots for cattle that were being raised for slaughter and consumption.

"What I saw was a holocaust of disease and sadness and the stench had a 10 mile radius with the windows up."
This was a major shock to him having grown up around cattle that his family raised in a very different setting. So, he decided "to see if there was legitimacy to eating this way being livable and good for me"
This wasn't an easy transition. I think I've mentioned before that he ate his first salad EVER only a few years ago. He also has a straight out phobia of lettuce. But, his will to change was stronger than his want for comfort. He traded in donuts, pizza, soda and steak for oatmeal, greens, rice and beans. (and plenty of vegan cookies to boot).

What did he experience? Well! First he went through a detox. He was tired, his skin broke out, he was light headed and uncomfortable for a little while. Then...the most amazing eye opening thing happened! (I'm trying to control my glee). Well, every now and again he would have some cheese and whenever he did he would feel a little crummy the next day, but he didn't match the two together. But one day, after being off of dairy almost completely for a few weeks, he went a little dairy mad. I think I recall a quesadilla, cheesy egg sandwich, cheesy rice and beans, creamy gelato and a latte of some sort. The morning after the dairy queen binge he was completely sick. He couldn't breath during the night, his throat had closed up, he was full of mucus and felt terribly ill. But, he wasn't sick, his body was just experiencing the true colors of that little thing called dairy. So why so full of glee at my poor husbands trauma?? He got to experience first hand the true effects of dairy on his body and life and now gets to make an informed decision on whether or not he wants to ingest the stuff knowing now what it really does.

"If I eat a dairy based meal I get sick as fuck."
Couldn't have said it better myself dear.
How has this transformed him?He lost about 9 lbs and gained a great awareness. He discovered that "I was addicted to thinking of food in terms of another pleasure, because it has the power to be sensual and I hadn't given over to the idea that food is nourishment for the body. I don't feel addicted to that mentality anymore." He also is free of his addiction to cheese and junk food now, "it sounds good, but it's not on my mind. There is no food that I'm craving anymore." Except maybe some sauteed kale and soup. He, full of awe, confessed to me over the phone last night while in Texas visiting his family that he was craving some home cooked veggies. If you could see me smile.

His body and mind are releasing all the stored up gunk that was once comfortable but now only causes sickness. He's still finding his way. Sometimes he feels stuck, not sure what to eat with no options that he's too crazy about. It's been hard for him to find balance in the foods he eats and he's having to try new scary green things all the time now. But he's doing it! He was brave and strong, convicted and curious and willing to change. Maybe he will live a longer life now, a fuller healthy life. One that he can enjoy to it's greatest degree.

Here are some ideas for anyone making a transition to a healthier, plant based diet
Soup. It's a great idea for someone not too versed in the ways of an animal free diet. You can get a few servings of vegetables, plenty of protein from all kinds of beans and your whole grains all in one bowl. This is Jimmy's favorite vegan meal so far. I like to call it (though he may not agree):

JIMMYS BETTER THAN PIZZA SOUP
1 carton No-Chicken broth
1 cup cooked kidney beans
1/2 cup uncooked lentils
1 onion diced
4 garlic bulbs minced
1 carrot diced
1 medium zucchini diced
Few basil leaves chopped
1/2 package crimini mushrooms diced
2 heaping handfuls of spinach
1 cup cabbage diced
Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Sawflower oil

This broth is DELICIOUS and adds a great burst of flavor. For anyone making the transition from meat who is yearning for a chicken taste I recommend this. Perfect for "chicken" soup or as a base in sauteing or even to cook your rice in.

Heat oil, onion and garlic in deep saucepan 2-3 min med heat
Add basil, cook another 2 min
Add all vegetables, lentils and broth over med-high heat
Add garlic and onion powder, few swirls of Braggs, cover and let simmer for 30-40 minutes or until veggies and lentils are thoroughly cooked.
Add kidney beans, cook for 3-5 more minutes

Taste and serve! I made Jimmy some garlic Naan with his. Drizzled it with olive oil and dash of garlic and onion powder and heated it up in the oven. Chomp!


If you're interested in giving your body a break from dairy for a while to see what might happen let me just say, YOU WILL BE AMAZED. Not only will you probably lose weight, you will most likely go through a cool detox, have clearer skin, feel less full of mucus, have better bowel movements and you might just break an intense harmful addiction that you never even knew you had. If you're up for the great transformation try these cheesy alternatives:

Daiya is a totally plant based cheese substitute that I adore. It's dairy free, wheat free, soy free, low fat and oh so delicious. I had a Vegan Christmas dinner party and made a big batch of vegan Mac'n'Cheese with it and people loved it. So far I've only been able to find it at Whole Foods. You'll actually find it in the cheese section, it's just that cheesy ;)

A recent cheese like discovery I made is Nutritional Yeast
It's got a real yummy cheese like flavor and is great for sauces or sprinkled over salads, even on popcorn. It's also surprisingly full of protein and fiber and most is enriched with B vitamins. Here's a nutritional yeast cheese sauce recipe, http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7057.0

There are tons of ways to ease into a change in your diet that at first can seem drastic and limiting.

The truth is that yes, when we make any change in our lives things are often uncomfortable at first but if we can wade our way through that first little bit the boundaries of our world-and of our self-expand majestically. We embrace the changless part of ourselves when we step fearlessly towards change. We grow, transform, transcend and bloom. New season, new diet, new recipes, new love, new reasons, new body, new routes, new ideas, new people, new flavors, new health, beautiful new life. For whatever transformation you are coming out of, going into or looking forward to I honor you whole heartedly for your courage and I kiss you like the wind.

"It is not a garment I cast off this day, but a skin that I tear with my own hands." The Prophet

Birth

Holly Mae Murray was born on Sunday March 7, 2010 at 12:30am to Nick and Sarah Murray

The first time I saw Holly Mae I was overcome by tears.

I looked into the eyes of my best friend Sarah, her radiant mother, "This is Holly," she quietly said and motioned to the tiny babe asleep in her arms. They both looked so peaceful, so healthy, both glowing with something otherworldly. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was dizzied by the amazing twittering of my mind around the fact that less than a week ago, in the living room that we were standing in, Sarah had given birth to little Holly without drugs, without surgery, without doctors, without a hospital. This was not accidental, no, this was part of a very well thought out plan. And like she planned, Sarah was the first person to hold her baby, she scooped her in her arms and has since not let her go. Now here they were standing before me, a blushing, incandescent testament to the thing that caused us all to be amazed and quite honestly, a little nervous:
giving birth at home with a midwife.
So what exactly is a midwife? And what's wrong with hospital birth anyways? Isn't it sort of dangerous and medieval giving birth in your house without doctors and nurses and beeping machines and without DRUGS?? Especially DRUGS?? You mean you gave birth without DRUGS? You, like, felt all that pain and stuff and saw all that icky liquid without DRUGS?!?

So I was a little doubtful at first. But, the more and more I listened to Sarah and Nick tell me about all the facts that they were discovering about birth in our country the more I began to realize that this idea isn't as crazy as I thought.

So first, what exactly is a midwife? For this I'll take a definition from a midwife herself, Sarah's midwife Yelena. Her website (www.tobirth.com) says:
Midwife means “with woman” – it is an ancient, woman-centered practice which honors a woman’s right to be informed, respected, honored, and nurtured–not only during childbirth, but throughout her life. Midwives are the guardians of normal birth.
Midwife's educate and encourage soon to be mothers on how to take control of their own health care. They offer prenatal care and guidance, they assist during the birthing process and "guard" the mother and child in the postpartum period.
Borrowing from Yelena's website again,

"Birth is a rite of passage for mothers and babies - an initiation. It is the ultimate expression of a woman’s physical, emotional and spiritual power."
A midwife recognizes and respects this and helps guide the mother through the time in her life when this manifests.

So, why a midwife? Lets look at some not so well known facts:
-The percentage of U.S. births attended principally by midwives: 5% The percentage of European births attended principally by midwives: 75%
-America has one of the highest infant mortality rates than any other country.
-Drugs to induce labor, drugs to subdue the pain caused from the induced labor and surgical removal of the baby are all "normal" parts of hospital birth.
-1 in every 3 births in an American Hospital is a C-section
-Average price of a US hospital birth $9,000-$14,000
-Average price of a midwife's service $4,600

These of course are only a FEW of the alarming facts about birth in our country.
Hospitals are wonderful institutions that can offer emergency care and save lives. Period. But, it simply isn't necessary for all women to give birth in a hospital. Lets face it, pretty much every facet of our society has been taken over and manipulated by a pursuit for money. This is definitely true in the food industry and sadly it is no different here. A birth in a hospital costs a lot of money and the more medical intervention needed the more money made and the quicker the birth happens the quicker a new patient can get seen and cycled through like clockwork. This isn't to say that hospitals, and more importantly the nurses and doctors working there, are simply trying to milk you for your money with no care for your well being. But there are very solid procedures that have been set in place on the assumption that birth is a terribly dangerous, frightening occurrence that requires drugs, surgery, lots of pain and distress and is definitely not something that a woman can handle on her own. I just don't buy that. Certainly not after hearing Sarah tell me about her birthing experience and speak about it with wonder, awe, excitement and reverence. "I feel like a warrior," she said.

She told me about how she got to listen to her body and move around in positions that helped her with the pain, which isn't something that is possible in a hospital. She walked, sat, laid in her birthing tub and eventually gave birth on a "birthing stool". Something that she could squat on! Doesn't that just make sense? Helloooo?? Gravity much? Why would I lay on my back when I gotta push something out? Not to be crass, but anyone take a crap laying on their back? Let me know how that works out.

She recalled with wonder how her body let her know that she had to push, how she could feel it change. She told me about her deep breathing and how she fell into a rhythmic dance between her breath and contractions. She got to have her amazingly supportive husband, Nick, right by her side the whole time. Her midwife was right there with her as well, not forcing or manipulating the situation but being there as a guide and a well of experience and wisdom. She was in her peaceful and comfort filled home. She got to take her time and let her body do what it knows how to do. And, so beautifully, she got to "catch" her baby girl as she came into the world. The first hands that touched that baby were her mothers.

Oh, and little Holly Mae. She is such a sweet and quiet baby. She hardly cries, only when she is getting changed, when she's away from Mama or Papa, does she let out a few whimpers. It's not surprising though. That child has never experienced anything but comfort and love in a loving environment. In a hospital she would have been pulled or, literally vacuumed into the world, wiped down, poked with needles and prodded with tubes in a loud, bright room full of anxiety. Eventually she would have been given to her mother, but not for long. There would be a separation, rooms apart. How can that be anything but traumatizing for a baby that has never known anything but her mother and the love that surely she can feel? Holly has had a different experience. She has known nothing but the care of her mother and father and the amazing love that bellows between them onto her in a safe, friendly place. Call me crazy but I think that can make an immense difference in a child's life.

Nick and Sarah did plenty of research before they decided on home birth. They spent a lot of time with all the fears and uncertainties that I'm sure we all have on the subject. I asked Nick, but isn't it scary giving birth at home?
"But the whole thing is pretty scary, you're bringing a life into the world. But I'm more afraid of not getting all the research about how to give my wife and my baby the safest experience...when I first heard about midwife's I immediately got this image of a witch doctor in a cave biting off the umbilical cord,but the more information I sought about what goes down in hospital birth, the more confident I felt about midwifery."

I asked Sarah if she could give one bit of advice to soon to be mothers and she said, "do your research. Question everything, because these companies are not about your health. They're about making money, fast."
Both of them watched a documentary called
"The Business of Being Born"which I just saw and HIGHLY recommend to anyone who EVER plans on having a baby.

So. Do your research, I know I'll be doing mine. Again, it seems to come down to that little thing of personal choice and the immense power that resides there. There isn't a more important thing that we could do for our lives or the planet than bring a loving and balanced human being into the world. It's a major choice with many implications-a hospital or home? For me, it is reminiscent of my decisions when it comes to food-conventional or organic? fast food or home cooked? What, with my choice-my support-my vote, do I want to create more of in the world? One day I'll be blessed and trusted with a life to guide through this world and the choices I make today, and especially this one down the road, will lay the bricks on the path that my child will tread. It's definitely something to think about...something to dream about...


"What happens in the womb and how we are born is significant in our lives" www.tobirth.com

Just so ya know, Sarah has been a vegetarian her whole life and, consequently, so has Holly. During her pregnancy there were no complications or lack of nutrients, protein or calcium (and she doesn't drink milk) at all! But, that's a whole other post all together. I know it's important for Mommy's to be to get loads of calcium so here's a recipe for a calcium rich treat free of any dairy. It's made with a sea vegetable called arame. It's surprisingly sweet.

Arame with Carrots and Onions
1 Handfull of dried arame
2 teaspoons sawflower oil
pinch fine sea salt
1/2 cup onion diced
1/2 cup carrot diced
Braggs liquid Aminos or Shoyu to taste

Soak the arame in water for 5 minutes, remove and set aside
Heat oil, salt and onion in skillet for 2 minutes.
Add the carrot to to the skillet and scatter arame on top. DONT STIR.
Add enough water to the skillet to cover veggies, leaving arame above liquid
Add 1 teaspoon braggs, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover
Simmer for 25-30 minutes, add a bit more braggs and cook for 5 minutes
Uncover, stir together and let liquid evaporate

Energy in a cup without the caffeine

I remember a time when I used to go to bed looking forward to my morning cup of coffee. Oh man, there really is nothing like that first cup. So comforting, so energizing. Mmmm coffee. Just how I liked it. Soy creamy delicious. How could I start my day without my familiar friend here, sharing my morning with me, giving me a pep talk for the day, filling me with the energy that-God knows-I needed? Gulp and boom I was ready to go! Weeee!!

Until about a few hours later. My lids would get heavy, my body cranky. Or maybe I didn't have time for breakfast and I would get the coffee-on-an-empty-stomach shakes and near crack head like behavior. Oh and heaven forbid I miss a cup cuz those withdrawal headaches are hell! And the crankiness, the dependency, the crash and burn. How could you coffee! I thought you loved me. Dirty bastard! I'll never go near you again...never...um...until...maybe...well maybe just one more cup. Damn you.

Coffee. That is one hard addiction to break. Or just caffeine really. Energy drinks, oh yeah I dabbled in those too. Anyone remember TAB the energy drink? Crack in a cute pink can for us girls! Yum yum I love the taste of cancer causing sugar substitutes. I remember drinking this one energy drink called Redline. You actually had to be 18 years old to buy this thing. Seriously. I decided to give it a rest when I woke up with what felt like a hangover after drinking it the night before.

But what do we do? In a world that demands so much movement from us, so much energy and attention where do we go for that needed lift? Chances are the diets that most of us partake in are robbing us of energy instead of offering it to us and any new found vegan or vegetarian will tell you that the energy you gain from a simple switch of your diet is incredible. But a lot of us aren't ready to take that step. So, lets take another route, perhaps a more comfortable one, towards a healthier, more energetic life style.

You can experience the vast energy of your own health by exploring the different options of what you put in your cup.

Please let me introduce you to, if you have not already been so blessed to have met, my dear friend Kombucha.
Kombucha is the nectar of the Gods.

It's known as a Chinese tea, but more precisely it is a living culture of beneficial microorganisms. It is cultured for 30 days, a process likened to fermentation, and bottled. The benefits of drinking this "tea" are incredible. During the 30 day process essential nutrients form like active enzymes, viable probiotics (which are hard for a vegan to get otherwise), amino acids, antioxidants and poly phenols. It creates balance in the body, aids in detoxification and works wonders. And I have found, during my long love affair with the stuff, that it offers me SO MUCH ENERGY. In fact, I drink it in the morning now instead of coffee. It's a different sort of energy than caffeine. It's smooth and shiny and when I drink it I get the sense that whatever this energy that I'm experiencing is, it has been released from within my body by this drink and not forced upon me like caffeine can make me feel. There is also no crash. There is no burn. It simply gives you more energy because it restores balance in your body and allows it to operate at a better efficiency. I love to drink it before I step on set or on stage because it makes me feel so clear headed, so alert and open to what's happening. And it's tasty! Well...most people think so. It can take a little getting used to, some people say it tastes a little like vinegar, but I find it 100% delicious.

The picture above is of the Kombucha I drink, "GT's Kombucha". GT is a fella who began bottling Kombucha after his mothers success with battling cancer while she was drinking it. He's started a liquid revolution. The stuff is beautiful, made with love and AMAZING for your health and energy. It comes in all flavors too! Whole Foods sells it and the other day I made the happiest discovery. I was at the Whole Foods in Glendale when my husband and I stumbled upon...are you ready for this?...GT's Kombucha on tap!!

I had to have my husband restrain me from jumping over the counter, sticking the nozzle in my mouth and hoping up into a keg stand. I hear that it's also on tap at the Whole Foods in Pasadena. Run don't walk!

Another new discovery in my life has been Kangen Water.

My sweet hubby tried it and came to me enthusiastically about all the health benefits of drinking this super water. I said "what in the world is Keggle Water?" And he summed it up for me:

Kangen Water is water that has gone through a process of electrolysis which causes it to become alkaline and a very, very powerful antioxidant (I've heard it said that a glass of Kangen Water has more antioxidants than a glass of fresh orange juice). Basically, we eat foods that are bad for us, drink water that is bad for us, breath in toxic air that is...well...bad for us. All of this lowers our bodies pH levels to levels that can be dangerously acidic. Kangen Water works to restore the body to it's proper pH level and perhaps become even more alkaline.

Also, Kangen Water has smaller molecules, which means it is more readily absorbed by the body. Ordinary tap water or unprocessed bottled waters have larger water molecules which tend to pass through the body without reaching individual cells. Without proper re-hydration, these cells can suffer from a form of cellular dehydration and either die too soon or fail to function efficiently. Kangen Water has the ability to rehydrate these cells before they dry out. It's oxygen packed water.

I'm not really one for believing a thing unless I have a direct first hand experience of it, so I was a little doubtful of all of this silly water business. But, Jimmy asked me if I would drink nothing but Kangen Water for one week and see what I thought then. So I did. And honestly, I had SO much more energy. I was amazed. I'm a very energetic person as is and the fact that just drinking this water increased my energy to the extent that it did blew me away. There must really be something behind all of this. I remember being amazed that I didn't have a problem getting out of bed in the morning. I usually play tag you're it with my snooze button forever, but after drinking Kangen Water I could just pop to. And I remember cooking rice with it one day and in half the time it usually takes the rice was done! Don't ask me how cuz man I ain't got no idea. But isn't that cool?

Jimmy and I have found a Kangen Water store right near our house and we fill up a big jug of it every few days and it's all we drink. It's inexpensive and pretty miraculous. Kangen Water stores are popping up all over the place, bet there is one near you. Give it a shot! What do you have to lose?

There's nothing wrong with drinking caffeine, enjoying a little coffee or green tea. But, it's good to know that there are options out there that can help fuel our busy lives in ways that are full of benefits for our health, are addiction free and encourage us to let our best selves flow in and out into our world, making waves where we wish or just sailing steady. It's salvation to know that you can turn your whole life into a loving act beginning with the smallest of choices. Just asking, "what do I put in my cup today?" can have transformational effects on you and your journey and on all of those thirsty souls who follow close on your heels.