HealME Journeys

Today began with rain. The remnants of a tropical storm sweeping up from Baja and across the Sonoran Desert means a green November. The Catalina Mountains are practically dancing with delight and Cindy and I are taking the morning off from just about everything. She's enjoying a leisurely yoga practice, just for her, and I'm frittering away in the kitchen. Yes, that's our idea of having the morning off. I decided to rework an old recipe in a new way this morning, maybe inspired by the word frittering...So, here's the Cyclone Vegan Frittata for a Wednesday. This isn't your basic quick and easy breakfast or brunch muchie, so if you're a kitchen wimp, proceed with caution. But if you rule and don't think it makes you less of whatever you are to wear an apron and whip up some gnosh that not only tastes good but is good for you, I think you'll be happy with the outcome if you just follow the directions: 1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fah

I was ravenous when I woke up today. No idea exactly why, but I wanted food, a lot of it, and a lot flavor to go with it. After a few minutes of surveying my larder, I determined that I could concoct this hash treat in about forty five minutes. Now, with a full belly and a warm afterglow of spice on my taste buds, I'm ready to face the rest of the day. I cubed two sweet potatoes, cut a red onion into wedges, seasoned it with a dash of salt, a lot of pepper, a spritz of olive oil, and a lot of Tambooli Masala. That went into the convection oven att 400 for 30 minutes. While those veggies were cooking, I pressed and dried a block of extra-firm tofu, crumbled it, and tossed with 1/4 tsp black salt, 2 tsps tumeric, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, and a Tbsp of Tambooli Masala. I also chopped a big bunch of Red Chard into bite-sized bits, tossing these with pepper and Tambooli Masala, and my go to seasoning for everything, Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute. 10 minutes before the veggi

Growing up in the windswept prairie-town of Cheyenne, Wyoming, I decided at some point that green was my favorite color. It just looked so nice against the dirt brown, sagebrush-sculpted landscape. An early hero was Robin Hood and the forest- hued attire of he and his band of Merry Men, with the exception of Friar Tuck, seemed about right to represent my favorite color -- I'll save my comments on Little John in tights for another post. Along with the color, I developed a fondness for many green foods as well. Favorite vegetable? Green Beans. Favorite fruit? Green Apples. Favorite food to give me imaginary super powers? Popeye's Spinach, of course. Favorite Candy? Green lifesavers. I loved running barefoot in green grass, catching green grasshoppers, and counting stacks of green toy currency. I still like getting green paper presents, the kind that can be folded and are best stored in a wallet. Any denomination will do. Dad loved to garden and Mom kept the house w

I love to eat! And flavor matters from beginning to end of every meal. Eating nutritious, plant-based meals let's my inner food freak fly his big flavor flag. Today, I've got two recipes for you: GOLDEN GALA APPLE DRESSING FOR SALAD 1/4 cup raw cashews 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup filtered, cold water 1 small gala apple, cored and chopped 3/4 inch ginger root, peeled 1 clove garlic 1 tsp onion powder 1 tbsp all-purpose, no-salt seasoning (I like Trader Joe's 21 Spice Salute) 1/2 tsp tumeric Blend all in Vitamix until smooth. Chill 20-minutes and serve over fresh green salad. Makes approximately 2 cups dressing. CHOCOLATE PERFECTION DESSERT 1/2 cup raw cashews 4 pitted medjool dates 1 frozen medium banana 1/2 cup frozen cherries 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup vanilla, almond milk Blend until smooth in Vitamix, chill one hour. Serve in dessert bowls. Serves 4.

I love green salads. One of my daily healing projects is to eat a pound of dark, leafy greens. Add some chopped vegetables, beans, seeds, berries, and sauteed mushrooms and you've got a nutrition powerhouse working around the clock at the cellular level just for you.  Here's the dressing: In a high-speed blender combine: 1 peeled orange 1/4 cup raw cashews 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup filtered water 1 garlic clove 1 tbsp. yellow mustard 1 inch piece of peeled, fresh ginger Blend thoroughly. Chill before serving. You can substitute tangerine or 3 little cuties ( in season now) for the orange. Just peel and use the whole fruit. 

I loves me some wraps. Any meal of the day the colorful, compact ease of stuffing a leafy green or whole grain flatbread with a variety of health-promoting tasty foods brings a smile to the table. Here's today's lunch, Catch a Collard, not a cold. 1 bunch finely chopped collard greens, uncooked. 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage 2 shredded carrots 1 diced mango 1 finely chopped jalapeno, seeds removed 2 tbsp organic peanut butter 2 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp fresh orange juice 2 tbsp chopped cilantro 1 tbsp chili powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder Mix all in a medium bowl. Put 1/2 cup in your choice of whole grain tortilla or wrap, or roll in green lettuce or romaine leaves. 4 servings.

Seriously, plants bring health. Here's a recipe to try... Nadda Egg Insight Salad Wrap 1 10.5 oz. pkg. Silken Tofu 4 chopped green onions 1/2 organic red bell pepper, finely chopped 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 1/2 cup shredded broccoli stalk 1 diced organic roma tomato 2 tbsp. Nutritional yeast 2tbsp. Cider vinegar 2 tbsp. Organic lemon juice 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 tbsp dry dill leaves 1 tsp. Tumeric 1 tsp. Onion powder 1 tsp. Garlic powder Whole Wheat, low fat tortillas Combine tofu, vegetables, and seasonings in medium bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to thoroughly mix. Serve in tortillas or atop a bed of fresh, chopped baby greens. Serves 4

What is a healing journey? As I pondered this question it occurred to me that one might just as well ask what is life. After all, our culture is such that a huge amount of resources, time, and energy are spent on healing activities, or at least on the avoidance of the discomfort of symptoms of being 'not well.' But the healing journey I am talking about, and inviting you to join me on, is not the same as getting over or avoiding illness, recovering from trauma, or mending wounds of body, mind, heart, and thought.  A healing journey, for my purposes, always ends at the same place, the place where life as we understand it ceases with the death of the physical body. This is the place where, as far as we can tell, our ability to consciously influence the circumstances of our existence ceases, where the body stops functioning and decays back into the baser elements from which it was constructed. The irrecovable cessation of  consciousness on the level of human thought for a singl

Peppers and Parkinson’s: The Benefits of Smoking Without the Risks?  Nutritionfacts.org, the most complete and up to date info on healthy eating I have found. Check it out!

His name isn't important. He could be you or me, anyone really. He began the conversation by telling me he needed to move out of the desert. He said it was killing him. When I asked him to explain he said, "Look at me, I'm the same age as you. When I moved here four years ago I took zero medication. ZERO!" He formed a circle with thumb and forefinger and put it close to my eyes so I'd be sure to get the point. "Now I take ten different pills every day." He held up both hands, fingers fanned. "I take two anti-depressants. I take two blood pressure pills. I take a blood thinner. I take pills for diabetes, GERD, and a couple that I don't even remember what the heck they're for. And four years ago I took none." He then told me he'd had a mild stroke and two heart attacks over that same four year period. I'm not good at just listening when I think I can help. In as gentle a voice as I could manage I asked, "How's your di