Delicious……….mmmm. Can you taste the yumminess of grilled plums? Summer is almost here, so get the grill fired up and enjoy your easy midweek nourishment for body and soul.

BBQ Udon Noodles with Plum
This recipe comes to us from Danica of Soundly Vegan.

Serves 6

Asian-style Barbecue Sauce:

Ingredients

• 1 cup hoisin sauce
• ½ cup low sodium vegetable broth
• ¼ cup white miso
• ¼ cup sake
• ¼ cup double-concentrated tomato paste
• ¼ cup ponzu sauce
• 2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise

To complete this dish:

• 1 10 ounce package udon noodles
• 6 plums, cut into six wedges each
• 3 broccoli stalks, peeled of outer layer and cut into planks
• a little canola oil, to coat the pan
• 4 carrots, cut into oblong slices
• 1 celery stalk, cut into oblong slices
• 1 large bunch kale, stems removed and cut into shreds
• sesame seeds, for garnish

In a medium pot combine hoisin sauce, vegetable broth, white miso, sake, tomato paste, ponzu sauce, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, cinnamon stick and star anise. Place over medium heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

To complete the BBQ Udon Noodles with Plum:

Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. If you have dry udon noodles then cook them according to package directions. If you are using pre-cooked, use the water to warm them. Drain and set aside.

Heat a grill pan or grill over medium high heat and place the plum wedges and broccoli planks in the pan. Cook on each side until the plums and broccoli have caramelized grill marks. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Drizzle some canola oil in a large wok-style pan over on medium high heat. Place the carrots and celery to the pan and stir fry for about 2-4 minutes, or until vegetables begin to become tender. Add the kale to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until wilted but still vibrantly green.

Add barbecue sauce to the cooked and drained noodles and mix well. Toss the noodles with the sautéed carrots, celery and kale. Serve topped with the grilled plums and broccoli stalks and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serve on hamburger buns topped with avocado slices and whatever other burger condiments you like.

Please feel free to share your comments and recipes for healthy eating!!!

My friends and I often share pot luck meals that always seem to turn out fantastic! Most of the vegetables we use are grown from local organic farms, or right from my friends’ gardens. Recently, we had one of these fun evenings, and my friend Judy brought over a yam stew. No doubt we helped ourselves to a second serving..here is her recipe. Enjoy!

Yam and Coconut Stew

This recipe makes approximately 8 servings.

Ingredients

3 onions sliced in thin rounds and then in quarters
2 lbs yams (or sweet potatoes), cut in 1″ pieces
1 large cabbage cut into long slices
1lb of red potatoes, cut in 1″ pieces
2 cans of lite coconut milk
2 Tbsp olive oil
1″ piece of fresh ginger peeled and minced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp. of red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro

Method:

In a soup pot on medium heat: saute the onions in the olive oil until they caramelize.  This should take about 20 minutes.   When the onions are soft and browned and slightly sticky add the minced garlic and ginger.  Cook for a couple of minutes with the onions, stirring frequently, then add salt, red pepper flakes, the sliced cabbage, potatoes, and yams. Add the coconut milk, and a little water if need be. You don’t want to put too much liquid into the pot. Turn the heat up until it comes to a slight boil, then turn down to medium/high  and cover the pot.  Let the yams and potaotes cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir every once in awhile, trying not to break up the pieces of yam and potato. When done, add fresh cilantro and you will love it!

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Albert Einstein

Inner guidance is direction you receive from Source, Spirit or whatever you may name it. You may call it intuition, a gut knowing, a felt sense, or a sudden awareness to do something you can’t rationally explain.  This happens every moment, every day of  your life in very ordinary and practical ways.  You may hear a song on the radio with the exact messages you have been praying for.  Someone calls you on the phone, and you were just thinking about them. Spirit may be showing up in a conversation, or in a dream. You may suddenly become aware and know that there is something larger than you, assisting and guiding you, and all of a sudden your choices and/or conflicts become clearer. You feel more at ease.

Connecting with Spirit gives you a sense that you are part of the whole, never alone. You can choose to be in relationship with Spirit and learn to trust your inner guidance more and more.  The challenge is in being able to let go of your rational mind, your perceived sense of security, your logic, and be receptive and open to Spirit. When you do, you become more available to trust your inner wisdom and guidance in all aspects of your being. Your life becomes multi dimensional and mysterious.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I had to be willing to let go of many fears and beliefs, and trust my inner guidance. I had many decisions to make about my medical care, surgeries and treatment, and post treatments.  I was given a lot of guidance throughout my cancer journey, that enabled me to create more peace for deeper  healing and well being. When I consciously opened to my connection with Spirit, I became more aware of  my inner guidance, and my life seemed to flow more easily, even whilst fighting cancer.

It is critical for your healing plan and for your life beyond cancer, to know that you are not alone and that you are connected with your inner guidance, in the co-creative process for peace and harmony. In order to deepen your connection, I suggest you begin every day and write a letter to your inner guidance.  Begin by stating your intention for a spiritual partnership in all areas of  your life….! This is a powerful relationship with Spirit, and you will begin to feel the energy build.

Begin by visualizing whatever you want,  and write it down daily. Don’t allow your rational mind to dictate what you should or shouldn’t ask for. Allow yourself to become playful and open. Feel the excitement as if you have already manifested what you want.  In this playful space you are connecting with Spirit. You will begin to notice changes around you. There is excitement and joy spilling into your life. Coincidences become more noticeable. You are opening more to your Inner Guidance every day. Don’t worry if some days you don’t feel the connection. This takes time and then, it becomes a normal part of your existence. You connect with your inner guidance and grace and gratitude begin to fill your Soul.

Lesley Choyce is one of my favorite poets  who is able to encapsulate his sentiments in a playful dance of words. The following quote and poem express his philosophical view of living.

“Your experience of living is divisible by two. There are the things that happen physically to you and there are the things that go on in your head. There’s a powerful relationship between one and the other, of course. Yet much of what happens externally you can’t control, while internally, you may be able to fix your head, if it needs fixing.” Lesley Choyce

I’m Alive, I Believe In Everything

Self. Brotherhood. God. Zeus. Communism.
Capitalism. Buddha. Vinyl records.
Baseball. Ink. Trees. Cures for disease.
Saltwater. Literature. Walking. Waking.
Arguments. Decisions. Ambiguity. Absolutes.
Presence. Absence. Positive and Negative.
Empathy. Apathy. Sympathy and entropy.
Verbs are necessary. So are nouns.
Empty skies. Dark vacuums of night.
Visions. Revisions. Innocence.
I’ve seen All the empty spaces yet to be filled.
I’ve heard All of the sounds that will collect
at the end of the world.
And the silence that follows.

I’m alive, I believe in everything
I’m alive, I believe in it all.

Waves lapping on the shore.
Skies on fire at sunset.
Old men dancing on the streets.
Paradox and possibility.
Sense and sensibility.
Cold logic and half truth.
Final steps and first impressions.
Fools and fine intelligence.
Chaos and clean horizons.
Vague notions and concrete certainty.
Optimism in the face of adversity.

I’m alive, I believe in everything
I’m alive, I believe in it all.

Lesley Choyce

Delicious and Nutritious

I love to find creative and easy ways to combine flavor and nutrition in one pot. This Tofu Stir-Fry is delicious and satisfying.  Try it and see how easy it is to prepare! (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 pound firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 small onions, cut into wedges
• 9 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 1/4 pounds bok choy, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, stem and green pieces separated
• 1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed
• 5 paper-thin slices fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons cold water
• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Halve tofu block lengthwise; slice each half into 8 rectangles. Arrange on a paper towel-lined baking sheet; top with more paper towels and another baking sheet. Weight with canned goods or a skillet. Refrigerate overnight or at least 20 minutes.
2. Transfer tofu to a shallow dish. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil with 1 tablespoon water; pour over tofu. Marinate 5 minutes (reserve marinade).
3. Heat canola oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Cook tofu until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set tofu aside.
4. Stirring constantly, cook onions in skillet over high heat until browned, 5 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook 2 minutes. Add red pepper and bok choy stems; cook 3 minutes. Add peas and ginger; cook 1 minute. Add marinade, cornstarch mixture, bok choy greens, and tofu. Cook until heated through. Season with soy sauce as desired. Serve with limes.

Have  you spent many hours reading and researching blogs, websites, and pages filled with claims on how to cure and prevent cancer? It takes a fine tooth and sensitive comb to sort through the jargon and find the gems that are hidden beneath the glossy covers and images.

There are many reputable businesses that offer products, which have been documented and well researched.  Many people with cancer find support and are greatly benefited by wonderful  healing programs that are facilitated by experienced professionals.  I honor and respect those who have turned their cancer experience into effective initiatives.  This personal power ignites a global fire needed to burn through the status quo and find a cure for cancer.

It seems, though, that many people are jumping on the cancer wagon, trying to capitalize on the cancer experience, by taking advantage for the sake of capitalism.  Researching the web, one can find a multitude of healing programs that declare cancer can be cured,  simply by changing your beliefs?  Or what about the proclamations that a nutritional supplement cures and prevents cancer?  How does this affect us?  Often, the ways in which  products and messages are promoted,   generate the idea that we are totally responsible for our cancer.  Sure,  having a positive attitude, living a life with less stress and eating healthy foods  is important in order for our immune system to function optimally. The diagnosis of cancer is frightening for most of us, and we are vulnerable. We look for  support and answers to guide us during and after the cancer journey.  The objection is directed at those who take  advantage of the vulnerability of others.

“If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day.” Alex Noble

There is a difference between selling and serving.  The intention to serve others, is an intention borne out of honesty and purity,  deepening and expanding the healing experience for all.  The difference is in how we hold our intention and how that intention serves the greater good.  When we are in the selling mode, we become insensitive to what we are saying, in regards to how this might sound to someone who is struggling with cancer and living in fear.  We distance ourselves from the moral conflicts, and focus on the outer  excitement of building a business and making money. The objective is lost in the neediness to make a buck.  The commercialization of cancer,  from this perspective, is an assault on our Spirit,  at the expense of integrity and the shared value for social contribution.  We compromise not only ourselves, but those we claim to help.

Your  opinions and comments are welcome.

The Waking

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me, so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.

Poem by T. Roethke

According to The American Institute For Cancer Research, there is probable evidence that foods containing dietary fiber, like whole grains, can decrease one’s risk of developing colorectal cancer.

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil,honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.

Cook quinoa in a medium pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 2 quarts water), uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in sieve, then set sieve in same pot with 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel, then cover sieve with a lid (don’t worry if lid doesn’t fit tightly) and steam over medium heat until tender, fluffy, and dry, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove lid. Let stand, still covered with towel, 5 minutes.

Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Per serving: 382 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated), 15 mg cholesterol, 446 mg sodium, 55 g carbohydrate, 10 g fiber, 14 g protein

Stream Of Life

Stream Of Life by Rabindranath Tagore

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day
runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth
in numberless blades of grass
and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth
and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.
And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.

Don’t you just love comfort food.  Close your eyes, and savor the richness of this vegetarian pot pie.  After a long day, this meal will soothe the Soul and warm the heart. I love it because it is so quick and easy to prepare. Feel free to substitute with your choice of veggies and low fat milk and omit the butter.  Enjoy!

Vegetarian Pot Pie (serves8)

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 small heads fennel, finely chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots , peeled and finely chopped (about 2/3 cup)
• 12 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced (about 5 cups)
• 1 small russet potato, peeled and diced small (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-sodium mushroom broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup frozen baby green peas
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 7 ounces store-bought puff pastry or pie dough, defrosted if frozen (or you can use frozen pie crusts)

PREPARATION

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle.

Melt butter over medium heat in a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan. When it foams, add fennel, onions, and carrots, and cook until just soft and onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and potato, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and stir to coat. Cook, stirring rarely, until mushrooms have let off water and are shrunken, about 6 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir to coat, and cook until raw flavor is gone, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully add broth and milk, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, add peas, herbs, and vinegar, and stir to coat. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Turn filling into an 8 by 8-inch baking dish.

Whisk egg together with 2 teaspoons water and a pinch of salt until evenly mixed. Set aside.

With kitchen shears, cut dough to fit over the baking dish. Place dough over filling and tuck into the edges of the dish. Brush dough with egg wash and cut slits in the top to vent. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and mixture is bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit at least 5 minutes before serving.