A Kinder, Gentler Barbecue

Tonight sounded like a good night for barbecue. Some cool ghosty shows were coming on and I wanted something fun and simple. So, I made this:


Crock Pot Barbecue Tofu

Ingredients:

2 containers firm or extra firm tofu, pressed
1 1/2 cups ketchup
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Simple enough. Reviews were mixed. My daughter and I thought it was okay, non-vegan hubby ate two sandwiches and youngest son loved it. If I were to make it again, I would use extra firm tofu and freeze it first to get a more chewy consistency. I had to buy firm because the grocery store was out of extra firm. I'd also half the red pepper flakes because everyone, other than my daughter who loves spicy stuff!, thought it was too spicy.

The next day I had a thought that it would be good over rice. I spooned some into my food processor, added a little water and made a slurry. Mixed it in with some leftover rice and liked it much better.

The origins of the word *barbecue* are, well, not interesting so much as curious. The most plausible theory states that the word "barbecue" is a derivative of the West Indian term "barbacoa," which denotes a method of slow-cooking meat over hot coals. Bon Appetit magazine blithely informs its readers that the word comes from an extinct tribe in Guyana who enjoyed "cheerfully spitroasting captured enemies." The Oxford English Dictionary traces the word back to Haiti, and others claim (somewhat implausibly) that "barbecue" actually comes from the French phrase "barbe a queue", meaning "from head to tail." Proponents of this theory point to the whole-hog cooking method espoused by some barbecue chefs. Tar Heel magazine posits that the word "barbecue" comes from a nineteenth century advertisement for a combination whiskey bar, beer hall, pool establishment and purveyor of roast pig, known as the BAR-BEER-CUE-PIG (Bass 313). The most convincing explanation is that the method of roasting meat over powdery coals was picked up from indigenous peoples in the colonial period, and that "barbacoa" became "barbecue" in the lexicon of early settlers. Due to the rather murky etymology of the term *barbecue*, and its constant association with meat, I'd like to find another word. Any suggestions?

Renewal and Ratatouille

Isn't this season just fantastic? We are so loving the cooler temps here. Renewal seems to be the word of the day for me, so with that in mind I have been vigorously and furiously cleaning and scrubbing and reorganizing my kitchen. Not wanting to have to stop this frenzy early for meal preparation, I decided this week to make all of the meals in the crockpot. One, it is just so simple and convenient, and two, it permeates the house with the most mouth-watering and delicious smells! My first recipe for the week is ratatouille.

Ratatouille Crockpot

•1 eggplant, peeled and 1 inch dice
•2 medium onion, chopped
•1 green bell pepper, 1/2 inch dice
•1 red bell pepper, 1/2 inch dice
•1 yellow bell pepper, 1/2 inch dice
•3 zucchini squash, sliced
•3 tbsp olive oil
•3 tbsp dried basil
•4 cloves garlic, minced
•1/2 tsp ground black pepper
•6 oz tomato paste
•1/2 tsp salt
•2 cups fresh tomatoes

Sprinkle eggplant with salt and let it drain in a colander about 1 hour. Press out excess moisture. Rinse with water and pat dry using paper towels. Place in crockpot then add onion, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, olive oil, basil, garlic, and salt then mix well. Cover and cook on low 7 hours, or on high for 3 hours. Serve over hot cooked rice.

The sprinkling with salt and draining was probably unnecessary, but I did it anyway. I substituted the green bell pepper with an orange one, just for fun and additional color. It went very well with bread buttered with Earth Balance and iced green tea. This one is definitely a keeper!

A little bit of fascinating history about ratatouille:

The word Ratatouille actually comes from the french term "touiller," which means to toss food or to stir up.

Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Nice and is now eaten throughout Languedoc and Provence. It was originally a meal made by poor farmer's (in essence it started out life as a peasant dish), and was prepared in the summer with fresh summer vegetables. The first appearance of the word in English was found in Cassell's Dictionary of Cookery, 1877.

The original and simplest form of Ratatouille used only zucchini, tomatoes, green and red peppers (bell peppers), onions, and garlic.

Today eggplant is usually added to the list of ingredients.

It can be served warm or cold. My son actually ate some at room temperature and still thought it was delicious.

Eating Out

My daughter and I have come to the conclusion that we just really don't much like to eat out any more. Granted, food preapred at home is always superior, but there are times one just plain does not feel like or want to cook and frankly wants to be served for a change. There lies the rub. Unless the restaurant is a know vegetarian/vegan establishment, one must examine closely and quiz the waiter/waitress about the menu.

For example:
Vegetable plate. Seems harmless, right? Mashed potatoes are made with milk and butter. Collards and green beans are often cooked and served with bacon bits. Many vegetable dishes are cooked with chicken broth.

Barbecue. Red light flashing, I know! But there is the baked potato and garden salad to be had. However, they have a tendency to put bacon bits on both. Ugh.

Hamburger joints. Many these days offer to substitute a veggie patty. Yay! Not so fast. Those veggie patties are more than likely cooked right on the same grill with the meat patties. Yuck!

Soup and salad restaurants. Right up the vegan alley, right? Only if you pay attention. Many nowadays actually label the bar offerings so you'll know nothing nasty is hiding in there.

This is all just an example of how tedious it can be to dine out. Seriously, I just want to order something without having to worry what it was cooked in or with. Is that really so difficult? Well, yes, it is. But at least I have found a handful of places locally that when I choose to eat out - like we are tonight - I can find menu items that aren't suspect.

Summer is just around the corner...

Ahoy, me maties! I've been gone awhile, being nothing but lazy. Ugh, and gained back 7of the 16 pounds I'd lost over the last year. Blech. So, since the only thing is for me to get my patootie back in gear, I'm back, renewed! A slate of new vegan cookbooks from the library have me re-energized, so here I am, in all my goddess glory, ready to renew my commitment to health (wealth and happiness...!) Back to my cardio, onward to my yoga, upward to my strength training!

First, a tidbit on why being vegan is the best way to go: because a vegan diet reverses heart disease. On the American Heart Association (AHA) diet, which includes meat, patients' arteries continue to clog, while Dr. Dean Ornish's vegan diet unclogs arteries. In one study, AHA dieters experienced a 28% average worsening of clogged arteries, while dieters on Ornish's program experienced an 8% improvement in their arteries. (PETA - Reasons to Go Vegetarian)

Dr. Oz told a recent vegan convert that everything can be reversed. If that is the case, and I believe it is, then why would anyone who has, or is at risk for, certain life threatening conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer that can be avoided, stopped, even reversed by becoming vegan, wouldn't become vegan? It seems like such a no-brainer to me, yet most Americans continue to eat the standard diet, or worse, follow such unhealthy diets like the Atkins diet. I think much of it is peer pressure, often from family. Often, when families gather, it is centered around food, most notably holidays. Ham at Easter, turkey at Thanksgiving, ham, goose or duck at Christmas. Holiday cookouts, like July 4. Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, in her book, The Vegan Table, cautions we have a tendency to romanticize these traditions. While no one wants to be seen as contributing to animal cruelty, it seems safe enough to shroud our violence against animals in the sanctity of Tradition. Shirley Jackson's tale, The Lottery, points rather vividly to our tendency to cling blindly to meaningless rituals and participation in pointless violence. When one of the characters states how there has always been a lottery, in defense against another village that has ended the tradition of their own lottery, it reminds me of how often I have heard the reasoning given by meat eaters - "We ALWAYS have turkey at Thanksgiving!" or "How can you celebrate the 4th without hot dogs and hamburgers? It's un-American!" or, my favorite, "Man has always eaten meat!"

Albert Schweitzer said, "The thinking [person] must oppose all cruel customs, no matter how deeply rooted in tradition and surrounded by a halo." We must remember that just because something always has been, doesn't mean it always should be. Food can still be the centerpiece to our gatherings and celebrations, but we can make them gentler, kinder, healthier! The summer is nearing with the rising temperatures just around the corner. I look forward to the thirst quenching iced teas, the crunch of delectable salads, and the sensual juiciness of fruits as they run down my chin. I also look forward to the sights and smells of my husband grilling in the backyard, the feel of cool water as I jump into the neighborhood pool, and the bright colors as more plants reveal their blooms. These are what make summer memories for me. And it is all cruelty free!

We Are What We Consume

The Old Year has gone. Let the dead past bury its own dead. The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time. All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months! ~Edward Payson Powell

The New Year is here, and as is traditional, time to make resolutions for the new year! Hardly a unique thing to do, but oh so appropriate! A new year brings new possibilities and opportunities to begin anew. I know I look forward to the new year every year, as if it provides the chance to wipe the slate clean and start all over. That being said, I don't really make any resolutions. They seem somehow empty to me. Instead I prefer wishes - more magical in their own way. And I set goals. Probably would explain my love for calendars. I buy my new calendar for the upcoming new year, fill it with reminders for birthdays and anniversaries and plans I want to accomplish throughout the year. It adds to my excitement and anticipation as the clock ticks slowly toward midnight on New Year's Eve, counting down to the brand new that is about to begin!

I am a notorious goal setter and list maker, anything from which rooms to clean and when to menus and grocery lists. I've discovered that although I eschew schedules of any kind, lists help to keep me on track.

I have not set any specific goals for my health for this year, just to continue on the path toward health and wellness I have already begun. Maybe tweak it here and there as something presents itself. Along that vein, something that seems to continue to put itself in my path is the concept of mindful eating.

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.
-Virginia Woolf

The view of mindful eating is this: Mindful eating is based on the Zen principle of mindfulness and requires your being acutely aware and conscious of what you're eating. Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger, and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society.

This view can also be taken as to what is viewed or heard, such as books, movies, tv shows or conversations that promote violence.

Fits in very well with my veganism as far as the food goes, but the non-food part? That will take some work, but to my mind, is worth the effort if I want to not only promote peace but BE peace.

The best part, however, is the connection between mindful eating and yoga. Regular yoga practice is associated with mindful eating, and people who eat mindfully are less likely to be obese, according to a study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The researchers found that people who ate mindfully – those were aware of why they ate and stopped eating when full – weighed less than those who ate mindlessly, who ate when not hungry or in response to anxiety or depression. The researchers also found a strong association between yoga practice and mindful eating but found no association between other types of physical activity, such as walking or running, and mindful eating.

And yahoo! but what did my kids give me for Christmas? Wii Fit Plus! A new yoga program for me to do! What excites me the most about this program is that now I have NO excuse to not exercise when the weather is wet and/or cold or I get back late from a day of running errands. I've already done the bowling. Used muscles I'd forgotten could be used! But I had a blast doing it!

I picked up a book today, Mindful Eating by Jan Chozen Bays, MD. It includes a cd of guided meditations. It got high ratings at Amazon, so I suspect it will be a good read.

Had spring mix salad and black bean soup for lunch, with a piece of garlic ciabatta. Can't say I ate mindfully, especially since it was a birthday celebration for my mom, and accompanied by two of my kids, but I can say it was joyous! Supper is an array of vegetables - lemon jasmine rice, mixed steamed vegetables and some grilled asparagus. Unsweetened tea to wash it down and a hot cuppa later this evening as I sit by the fire and read my new book.

Oh, and some time on my balance board and Wii... ;-) No excuses, remember?

My New Mantra

"If you can dream it, you can do it. Your limits are all within yourself." -Brian Tracy

That's my new mantra. The only thing holding me back is myself. This also fits in nicely with my tarot card pull for the day - the Four of Swords.



Some of the advice given for this card is to ground and re-charge yourself. Look inward for a real change. Meditate daily.

Huh.

I am happy with my food choices on this quest. My exercise sometimes gets pushed aside because of weather or errands. I really need to find some exercise dvds I like so I will be motivated to do them at home on those problem days.

This cold weather brings it's own set of issues. Fighting off illness! I'm keeping healthy, but my college finals coping daughter is trying to keep a cold at bay. I brewed her my famous garlic/lemon/honey tea. My family swears by it!

This Tea Busts Colds!
Why the "Spanish cure" really works
By Laura Goldstein , Laura Goldstein is a contributing editor to Prevention.

Many people of Latino or Spanish heritage will tell you that when you have a cold, no other cure works as well as a tea made of garlic, lemon, and honey.

"Make no mistake: If you come down with a cough or cold in Spain or Latin America, your host will likely serve up a pile of garlic and a hot cup of lemon honey tea," says Prevention's clinical herbal advisor, Douglas Schar, DipPhyt, MCPP, MNIMH, who was served garlic, lemon, and honey tea when he caught a cold in the mountains of northern Spain. "The combination worked quickly, but it was a bit rough going down." Dubbed the "Spanish cure," this cough-inhibiting decoction may help ease colds three ways.

Garlic - The same oils that give garlic its unmistakable scent are deposited by the bloodstream into the respiratory tract. There, they inhibit cough and cold microbes, and they are effective decongestants.

Honey - While there's little research on the subject, many cultures believe that honey is a respiratory tonic, gently improving breathing. Honey is known to be antimicrobial, and it helps the immune system fight infection.

Lemon - According to Schar, "Lemon juice reduces and thins mucus, which makes it easier to unclog a stuffed-up respiratory system." Lemon juice also alters the body's pH, potentially making it less hospitable to viruses and bacteria.

Garlic Tea Recipe - In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of water and 3 cloves of garlic (cut in half) to a boil. Turn off the heat when the water boils, and add 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain. Sip 1/2 cup, warm, three times a day. Refrigerate extra to use the next day.

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.
Lao Tzu

Whew! Pretty intense yoga workout today. I use these cards I bought, The Yoga Deck and The Yoga Deck 2. You design your own workout, so I start with the warmup, the workout and end each with a breathing exercise and a meditation. Each day is different, so I never get bored. This particular meditation, though, I found enlightening.

Spirit Meditation

Sit quietly with your eyes closed. Let your breath be slow and relaxed.
Visualize the lower half of your body as warm, moist, vital soil.
Picture a beautiful white lotus flower blossoming in the upper half of your body.
Breathe into its essence and repeat several times:
I am willing to embody my spirit
Gaze deeply into the lotus blossom that is the embodiment of your spirit. What truths do you see? What message does your spirit have for you today?

Inside the lotus blossom I saw a swirling fire, like magma. I watched the beautiful colors, red, yellow, orange, wondering what this meant. Then white shapes, misty, ghostlike, began swooping upward, graceful. I watched them in amazement, again wondering what they were. As I lifted my eyes upward to watch their ascent, I glimpsed a night sky brimming with bright stars. I watched in awe at the beauty of it all, realizing only then what my spirit was trying to tell me: that I am much, much more than this body, that I am a part of something grander. I am a part of the universe. I found this quote and it summed up my experience nicely:
I Am One With Spirit and All Creation - I give thanks for the unity of all creation and for everything that has brought me to this moment. I release my entire being to the gentle nurture of Spirit.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

In keeping with my practice of NEAT, I am honoring the Goddess of the day by wiping down my counters and mopping my kitchen floor with an infusion of sage, then traveling room to room ringing a bell to keep sickness away. This brought a giggle because my cats all stared at me like I was crazy, yet followed me to each room to see if I would do anything different.

NINA
Pan-American Health Day (United States)

Themes: Health; Cooperation; Dreams; Magick; Meditation.
Symbols: Lions; Fish; Serpent (her sacred animals)

About Nina: A very ancient Mother Goddess figure in Mesopotamia, Nina has many powers, including healing, herb magick, meditation, dream interpretation, and helping civilization along when needed. Today we will be focusing on her healthful attributes and knowledge of herbs to improve well-being for the winter months.

To Do Today: Pan-American Health Day focuses on worldwide cooperation in the public heath field. On the home front, do everything possible to make your home and body healthy and strong. Beginning in your living space, wash the floors using sage water, and burn a sage smudge stick. This herb decreases germ infestation and is magickally aligned with Nina's energy. As you go through your home, carry a small bell and add this incantation:

Nina, come and make us well;
banish sickness with the ringing of this bell.

Ring the bell in each room at the end of the incantation. In many religious traditions, bells are considered to scare away the evil influences that cause sickness.

To overcome a troublesome malady, put a picture of one of Nina's sacred animals under your pillow to invoke a healing dream. This tradition is very old and sometimes results in healthful energy being conveyed through your dream, or in a dream that shows you what to do for a cure.
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By Patricia Telesco ~ From "365 Goddess"

I find it interesting that today's theme includes cooperation. My daily tarot card pull for today is Two of Cups, which also suggests cooperation. Add to all of this that tonight is a Full Moon in Gemini! Being a Gemini, this is particularly auspicious for me. This Full Moon is in Gemini, the sign of communication, changeability, short trips, and anything of a mercurial nature, and Mercury, the planet of communication and the mind that is the ruler of Gemini, is very active in the chart of this Full Moon.

A good dish to serve tonight is:

Eggplant Pomodoro

1 eggplant (sliced into 1/2 inch rounds)
3 roma tomatoes, diced
10-15 chopped basil leaves, fresh
1 cup vegan/soy mayonnaise (must have some fat in it)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard (regular mustard may be substituted)
1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs (no parmesan cheese)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine mayonnaise and mustard in a bowl until well blended. Coat each slice of eggplant with the mayo/mustard mixture and second-coat each slice with breadcrumbs. Arrange coated eggplant slices on foil covered cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.
While eggplant is baking, saute diced tomatoes and basil in olive oil until well-heated, and set aside.
Serve baked eggplant with a generous portion of tomato mixture. Enjoy!
Serves: 4

Walked for 30 minutes with hubby, did five weight lifting exercises with dumbbells, 2 yoga sessions, 60 crunches.

Two slices cinnamon toast for breakfast, rice and beans and peach slices for lunch. Would have made eggplant for supper, but son made supper, instead! Spaghetti and quorn meatballs and slices of French bread.

Later tonight I will draw down the moon, then watch a movie with hubby and gnosh on unsalted pretzels.

Drawing Down the Moon

Lady moon, Lady moon, where are you roving?
a children's song

The act of drawing down the moon is a powerful psychic and magical experience.
By focusing on the light of the full moon, you are actually drawing its energy into your own body. Realize that lunar energy is intuitive, magnetic and receptive. This is a force of nature, and tapping into this power is a transformative experience. This type of empowerment needs to be felt, and it’s going to be different for each individual.

I have heard this process explained and intellectualized to death, but the truth is this is a silent ritual. it requires no tools or props other than yourself and the full moon. Learning to draw down the moon is an intuitive and personal experience that marks a significant step of a witch’s journey, for you learn to make your magic both intuitive and personal.

No words are needed while you drawn down the moon. If you’d like to say a few words in greeting before you get started, go right ahead. Seems to me that a simple and heartfelt greeting is much more eloquent than fumbling around trying desperately to remember some lengthy, dramatic memorized poem. This does not require melodrama. Just be yourself, and follow your own insights. The following steps of the process are straightforward ones, and simple is usually the best.

. Step outside and stand under the light of the full moon. You do have to go outside for this one, folks.

. Imagine your feet are like roots of a tree, and sink them down into the earth. Visualize that any stress or anger you may be carrying is draining away to be absorbed back harmlessly into the earth. Now see that the earth is in turn sending you revitalizing energy. Raise up your arms, and stretch your fingers. Take a nice deep cleansing breath and blow it out slowly.

. Next, you may stand with your hands loosely at your sides, holding your hands palms up. I have seen people dramatically throw their arms out wide and embrace the sky. Go with whatever position feels more natural to you. If you are concerned that someone, maybe a curious neighbor maybe be watching, then just keep your arms down and stand in a relaxed pose.

. Then open yourself up to that energy, lighting up those seven chakras.

. Tip up your face to the light of the moon, and envision pulling some of that luminosity and power down and inside yourself. Give yourself a few moments and feel the difference it makes. For example, if you feel down and self conscious, you will likely stan taller and be more confident after drawing down the moon. If you feel overwhelmed and stressed out, you’ll notice that your shouders will relax and you will feel more at peace when you are finished. You may feel a shivery and tingling connection with other witches from all over the world. or you may feel a comforting warmth surrounding you, like an astral hug, telling you are not alone. Enjoy the sensation for a while.

. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Now zip your chakras closed with a quick arm motion from your mid tight area to over the top of your head. Relax.

. Whisper a “thank you”, feel grateful and return indoors

Write down in your journal what you experienced. Try it with different full moons or even different lunar phases, at different hours. Then compare your notes.