Food Noise & Life Lessons

I'm a creature of habit and I thrive on consistency; I need schedules and boundaries to stick to. I've tried (and not tried) to be one of those laid back people who can just close their eyes and let the universe guide them, where ever - just because. And while I put a lot of trust in the universe, logic and reason typically dictate, and I feel wholly responsible for the direction my life takes. All of this was part of the reason why I came to California in the first place...I wanted to live the bohemian lifestyle...I wanted to just pick up and move and start a new life. A lot easier said than done. (After all, they always say if you can make it in NYC you can make it anywhere...well, I'd survived NYC and then some...living it up in CA seemed like it would be cake!)

Life lesson number one: Don't move to a new place unless you really know what you are getting into. i.e. never move without getting a 'real' job first...esp. to a place that requires that you have your own car...

Needless to say, when I left NYC I didn't know what I was really leaving behind...I was unaware of what I was really setting myself up for...

Consistency, schedules, boundaries...they left me high and dry the day we packed up the car and started the journey out here...

Perhaps this is why consistency in my diet is so darn important to me- why it makes me feel better to know what I'm going to be eating from one day to the next. This may be far too personal for a food blog, but I firmly believe that your emotional well begin effects how you view/enjoy your food. I know for sure that I channel a lot of my emotions and energy into my creations; I feel like I hyper-focus on food sometimes as a way to avoid what's really going on (i.e. how homesick I am, the guilt for leaving TT, the regret, etc.)

In any case, these past two weeks the very thought of a green smoothie made me want to gag. I felt extremely fatigued, nauseous, and generally worn out -- like I could have literally slept 24 hrs. straight. Naturally, I pushed on with my usual routine -- writing, making food for clients, going to bikram, gym, etc. I forced down the green smoothies because god forbid I break with routine and not have my daily green smoothie?! I told you, I am a creature of habit and habits are hard to break...not that drinking a green smoothie everyday is a bad habit..but, not listening to your body (or your gag reflex) is...

Life Lesson number two: Do not, under any circumstances, try and over-ride your bodies natural instincts...or else you might find yourself curled up in the fetal position of the bathroom floor at 3:00 A.M. simultaneously sweating bullets and breaking out in cold sweats.

Save for the nightmares of my hair falling out for fear of not getting enough greens, I've been on strict green smoothie hiatus. (Thank Buddha for Vitamineral Greens powder in lemon water...def. not as tasty as a Raw Food Nerd green smoothie, but it was good enough...since I plugged my nose and chugged, of course.)

Life, sans green smoothies, just doesn't feel the same, but I knew we wouldn't be broken up forever...we just needed some time apart. I did, however, start experimenting with a new smoothie, one that as of yesterday I have started to add my greens back into. And oh, yum yum yum! It's banana, ice, almond milk, cinnamon, carob, hemp protein fiber and then sometimes I add slippery elm, burdock, triphala, and licorice root. It's delicious! Not that I am surprised, but adding spinach to my little nightly concoction does not alter the taste one bit! Hallelujah! Green Smoothie train is back in biz!

Life Lesson number three: Forcing yourself to be something you aren't only leads to disaster, regret, and a whole lot of wasted time. i.e. My adventurous spirit (in life) can only take me so far.

In the kitchen, however, it is limitless...

A twist on boring old veggie burgers -- these were topped with cute, petite portobellos as buns and underneath was marinated mushrooms, apple wood smoked dulse, butter lettuce, and tomato. A much happier meal.

right in time for Earth Day too!

Yum nums, garlic-y Marinated Mushrooms.

These were Chocolate Walnut-Butter cups inspired by the wonderfully creative momma of dessert heaven, Averie...

It's true, a little "nooch" (nutritional yeast) goes a loooong way...

And so does a little Carrot Raisin Bread...

or Sweet Sesame Crackers...

Life Lesson number four: Fake it till you make it. i.e I'm going to give this all I have because failure just isn't an option. 

On that note, my Strawberry Milkshake recipe was published in Coconut Bliss's newsletter for this month! Check it out!!