Harvest Time in Santa Fe

My harvest is beautiful. It has taken 4 years, but I am perhaps becoming a gardener. This year I have harvested lettuce, shisito peppers, 2 kinds of tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, broccoli rabe, kale, collards, tatsoi, cauliflower. The incredible sweetness of just cut collard greens is beyond belief.

The evening temperatures are quite cool and this week we had two soft freezes. I am getting as many tomatoes in as possible and will make and freeze some sauce using my homegrown basil, too.

The broccoli, kale and collards should weather the temperatures well for at least a few more weeks, but I am hooked on the taste of freshly harvested vegetables. I will need to get creative in my cooking this winter to keep my taste buds happy.

It is a paradox to me that as the weather cools, I would like some spice in my foods. Yes, spices warm, but also expel the heat. Hence they are most often used in hotter climates like Southern India and Mexico. Well, a couple of days ago I was craving a bit of a kick so I made the cauliflower and carrot curry ( fresh from my garden), which is the recipe this time.

Returning Home

I just spent the most incredible 3 weeks in Switzerland visiting my friend Giustina in Geneva and hiking in the Bernese Oberland. I experience a lifestyle that is lovely in Switzerland, especially the kind and generous people who live in the Alps. I pushed myself on the hike to overcome fears and learned that I have much to learn. The Alps are beyond words in their majesty and challenges. The hardest part of the trip was trying to maintain any sort of balance. When you are with a group , you are subject to preset menu choices. They were fabulous, but not our macro path, for sure. However, when you are exerting great physical activity some balance can be made.

I returned to Santa Fe with the weather cooling down, rain had come and the challenges of getting back to life. I feel the need for Kinpira Soup and that is the recipe on this site.

Deep Winter in Santa Fe

We have just entered deep winter in Santa Fe. The frigid, record shattering temperatures are causing problems all over the state. I am grateful that my home is warm and secure and that my pantry is well stocked with the staples of a good macrobiotic kitchen: grains, beans, sea veg, greens. The challenge of deep winter is to get enough sun and outdoor activity and also to try eating and cooking more than delicious soups and stews. It all moves hand in hand to help me from becoming emotionally blue. I find that as I age, it is easier for me to isolate, become rigid in my thinking and interactions and "dig in".

Thankfully as macrobiotics we know how to lighten our cooking and understand the importance that even a little daily activity offers. We just entered a # 7 year, so life should seem to be easing up and even experience some momentum. It does not feel that way right now, especially on the international front and the incredibly unusual weather patterns. This time of year does signal that Spring and that uplifting energy is just around the corner.
The recipe I will post helps to stabilize the heaviness of winter: Bok Choy and Shitake. I thank Mayumi Nishimura for her brilliant cooking.

I sit here on my computer awaiting this evening's full moon/eclipse/mercury retrograde event. I have been steadily feeling "crazier" and out of sync. What returns me time and again to balance is the combination of food choice, preparation, activity and other lifestyle choices.

Macrobiotics, to me, offers the concept of balance, yin/yang, inner/outer, up/down etc. Other approaches just seem, to me, to only be about the food and the nutrients in the food. While some think of Macrobiotics as narrow and rigid, I find Macrobiotics to be incredbily expansive with room for dialogue and questions.

Tonight is the cusp of the solstice, a time of deeply turning inward and listening to the small voice. Supposedly the Holiday season beckons us to parties and gatherings. I have always prefered this to be a time of small gatherings and renewals of friendships. A perfect time to share meals lovingly prepared.

Balance and Transition

As we age so many things in our lives seem to go through a more rapid change. Michio Kushi taught us that we get more yang as we age, life quickens; there is a greater urgency to accomplish our goals. I also experience change as my physical body seems to co-operate less. If I don't stretch or do yoga daily I feel some level of pain. Regardless of how balanced and nutritious my daily food, I will ache if i do not take the proper physical care of my body. Of course, if my food choices are not balanced, I hurt even more.

On a recent Macrobioitc online listserv there is a lively discussion on what creates health. The general consensus is that while food choice is critical, a balance of of physical activity and spiritual practice will create a larger sense of balance. I subscribe to this. I have always been physically active and for many years have practiced macrobiotics. I have also pursued a particular spiritual path on and off for years . In the last few months I have returned to daily spiritual practice and find that I am becoming more open, relaxed. The addition of my spiritual practice has grown the effect of food and activity.

In the last few days I have been tending to a family member with serious health issues. It is most difficult for us to help heal our families when they are unable or unwilling to change long ingrained habits. I am confronted with what I call "magical thinking". That is, one can heal and life can change without doing anything, without making one single change. We have all experienced a major health setback changing a person's world view. And some times it doesn't.
Transition is something to be accepted, rather than fought against.

I read a quote recently that all we can take care of is our corner of the world. I cannot take on family, much less the World. I can only c0-create my cornerstones of balance: food, spirit and activity.

Summer 2010

Ok well, I just noticed that it has been since winter since I have written to you all. Where have I been!
Summer has blazed in to Santa Fe, it has been over 90 degrees for almost a week. That is rare here. The blessing is that our evenings and mornings are cool and refreshing. The new recipe is a Noodle Salad. Even tho the last thing we want to do is enter a kitchen, we have to eat in an orderly and well balanced way so we can stay healthy and strong. I don't have to tell you that maintaining our physical and emotional balance in the topsy turvy world is so hard, but is a priority. Wild swings in our eating will eventually cause us to lose our balance. We need to strive to be a part of the solutions that are needed in the coming years. More than ever I am drawn to exploring MacroBiotic programs and travel, being with people who appreciate the inner strength that comes from order and balance.

Lately I have connected with a group in Albuquerque leading a macrobiotic life. I am grateful for our burgeoning group in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Winter Solstice

December 21, 2009

Winter Solstice in Santa Fe comes in colder, with the darkness sending me indoors to warm next to my fireplace. Bootsy, my wonderful husky, is loving the cooler weather and gets me up in the morning singing to go outdoors. All this cold and dark leads me to warmer, nourishing soups and stews. Hence this month's Chickpea Butternut Squash Stew.

It is a season of parties with old friends and new. For a smallish town, Santa Fe has a surprising variety in people, interests and things to do. As soon as I get used to the chill (it seems to take longer as I get older), I will put on the snowshoes and head to mountains, a very short drive away. A few weeks ago we had the Macrobiotic Pot Luck. 18 people came with fantastic foods and great spirit. Our little Santa Fe Macrobiotic community grows a bit at a time. One friend suggested it is time to start a center. We shall see what the year brings.

Warm Days/Cool Nights: Fall in Santa Fe

Fall again in Santa Fe and the macrobiotic cooking is good. The farmer's market overflows with produce and my fruit trees are bursting. This year I am making compotes from my fruit trees with apple, pear and plums. I freeze the delicious fruits for use during the long winter. I am also making and freezing slow roasted tomatoes from my garden.

The hatch chile roasters are back in town and are in the parking lots all over Santa Fe. I picked up a batch and left them in my car while I shopped. When I came back my car smelled just like Abuelita's kitchen (that means grandmother).

Chiles, tomatoes? Macrobiotics....well they make balance in our very dry, very high climate. It all depends on your condition at the moment. We have started our macrobiotic Santa Fe meetup group and are growing nicely. I look forward to a thriving macrobiotic community here in Santa Fe. It was wonderful to have Dr. Jonas Skardis join us. Dr. Skardis is a long time macro practitioner and his insight and experience are wonderful additions to our fledgling group.

Spring Arrives: sort of

April 1, 2009

As in many parts of the West, spring can come with sudden changes that keep us on our toes. So far in the month of March the weather has gone from balmy 70+ degrees to 6 inches of snow. The snow was badly needed, as we have had almost no moisture at the lower elevations all winter. My daffodils and crocuses look like an Easter (or Passover) parade nestled in white. While the snow at this time of year doesn't stay around very long, it stays so white, very different from my New York City experiences. Our farmer's market is pretty slim right now, but there are delicious prepared foodstuffs all made locally like green chile mustards and sprouts of all sorts. The sprouts lady convinced me how easy it is to sprout, so that is the spring recipe: Sprouted Lentils.

Winter arrives!

December 19, 2008

Today is the first real snow of the season here in Santa Fe. New Mexico is a skiers paradise because we get a texture called "powder". The snow comes down and hits fluffy and it stays white on the ground for days. What an interesting celestial season this has been. I hope you had a chance to see the moon conjunction with venus and jupiter. The Santa Fe skies were crystal clear and the conjunction was truly magical. Then, a few days later, we had the enormous full moon, that hung in the sky like a huge pearl. In Santa Fe, the moonrise came over the mountains with gray cloud shadows streaking the ascent. For a few moments the full moon hung over the mountains just touching the peaks.

It is cold now and the warming long cooked dishes feel so nourishing to the soul. This season's recipe is Posole.

The Changing Seasons in New Mexico

October 20, 2008

The seasons begin to change here in a beautiful transition. The days continue to be warm and sunny, but now the nightime temperatures dip comfortably into the high 40's and low 50's. The mornings are crisp and clean. Bootsy, my 12 year old Siberian husky is coming in to her own again. She wakes up spirited and anxious to go out: Maybe we'll see a coyote again this morning.

The Santa Fe farmer's market is bursting with mostly natural or organic bounty. It was just a few weeks ago that the Santa Fe farmers market moved in to its own, permament building in the new Railyard district ( more about the Railyard district in a future blog). There are so many vendors that the stands flow out of the main warehouse and pour like a cornucopia out into the railyard.

It has been almost 30 years since I had a garden and so I started slowly this year. I had to remove the old railroad ties ( creosote!) and fill in with new earth. I am so excited by my efforts, the pure joy of eating and cooking the vegetables you grow yourself. I have plump carrots so sweet it seems like candy, kale so crisp it screams LIFE with every bite. And winter squash....well I did have one very delicious buttercup before the vine died, but my butternut is orange and sweet and deeply flavored. Tomatoes, yes tomatoes, eaten fresh from the garden is an unbelievable experience. Am I sounding like a recent New York City transplant? Well it is hard not to gush. Tonight I savored homegrown carrot and brussel sprout nishime, homegrown creamy squash soup and a Braised Halibut with a homegrown tomato braising juice. Yummmmm.

New Mexico

September 11, 2008

Greetings from Santa Fe. It is almost 1 year since I moved from New York City, my home of 27 years. It has been an incredible journey and learning experience. It is a very different climate here. While we enjoy 4 seasons, the warmer months last longer. We are at 7,000 feet so it means drinking lots of water and cooking a bit differently. I was shocked that the first time I cooked beans it took 2-3 times longer. I am grateful that I had a chance to cook for myself before embarking on cooking for others. Unless one is limited as to use of spices, you do feel the need to add more spice to your food here. This time of year is chile roasting season. The fresh green chilies come up from a town called Hatch and are roasted in big drums on almost every corner of Santa Fe.

I have met many new friends and find people open and friendly, eager to make new acquaintances. This has helped my transition greatly. What has been a huge disappoint is the real lack of quality vegan restaurants. I had become so used to dropping in to Souen and Mana and Ozu when I didn't feel like cooking. I really empathize now will all my classmates from outside the New York City area that complained about all the cooking! Honestly, the couple of vegan restaurants are really not good. I wish you could experience what they call miso soup (or maybe you shouldn't). I had to ask one if they knew about any greens besides chard!

I do love being back out West. There is nothing like the western skies and the open feeling.

I wish you all well.

Not an easy thing this blogging

It seems hard to think of things to say on this blog, yet I always seem to have a concersation going on in my head. These conversations usually happen during yoga class. I have been working through a rough spot in my life and trying to keep to my macrobiotic principles. I find "easy does it" works best for me, but i need to be careful not to stray too far from the macrobiotic principles that make sense to me: keeping meal times regular, sitting down. I don't chew too well, I have to work on that one.

I also give myself alot more space in what I eat, if that's what I feel like. The problem with the foods that are not usually found on the macrobiotic "eat often" lists is that they are pretty addictive, for me at least. Yet, I find that conversation going on in my head until I give in. Sorry, sweet vegetable drink just isn't a piece of carrot cake.

how do YOU do macrobiotics

Are we outside the mainstream of the world? Should we be outside the mainstream of the world. We all know that this practice takes time. It was developed in a time when 1 person stayed at home cooking. Is it reasonable to have the same expectation? Or, if you live alone....

Simply an mb meal is a grain , a veg, often a bean or bean product, some soup once a day, some sea veg often, etc. Sounds simple. Three such meals a day can be overwhelming. Then I talk to the MB's who go on vacation with an enormous reserve of food supplies and equipment...almost make me feel like not traveling or taking a holiday. Then again, when I haven't taken the proper precautions in what i will need to keep me in balance, I am always sorry. I feel fine for a few days, but after many years of macrobiotic practice, I can feel the subtle shift: more anger, lower energy, etc.

Thoughts and ruminations, thinking out loud...that's what blogs are for.

not just food

I was listening to a woman while I was in the elevator of my building today. She was railing against all the "craziness" in this world, in particular about an accident in upstate NewYork that claimed the lives of 6 young people. I really didn't respond to her, except to nod a bit as I didn't want to really dialogue. She wasn't seeking an answer or any insight...rather, she just wanted to stew in her own unhappiness.

Yes, of course, I can feel that much of the world is out of balance. But I do not have to be a part of the imbalance. If I can maintain a center in my surroundings then I am doing my part to a degree, my part to help bring the world to center, to understanding and eventually to harmony.

It is about my daily life and my activites. I try to maintain balance in my meals ( grain, vegetable, bean, some soup). I try to chew and to get some exercise every day. The body rub opens my physical presence to the messages from the universe. These simple steps keep from stewing in the unhappiness of the world. These simple steps help me to be of service.

Macrobiotics

Hi there

I started this blog to begin talking about the daily journey that is macrobiotics. Every day is a new challenge and a day filled with new opportunties.....I'd enjoy hearing from others.

Usually, I cook for several different people a week and hope to expand the counseling practice. i think you get a larger view by counseling people.

I just wish that people would begin a healthier lifestyle before the "S" hits the fan...it is so much easier when you work with someone who has an idea of how to cook and take care of themselves...event if they do get sick, they can really help self manage their progress.