Istanbul...

Just uploaded some new pictures from my first days in Istanbul. Check them out...

It is going a little choppy over here. I see that t all my self growth work, when faced with family, is at zero. Nothing has changed. All these hours of meditation, therapy, self realizing moments of the truth, love, forgiveness...Nope, non of that...Acceptance, tolerance, more love... Family, being back at home, living so close to 4 other people who know me more than anyone but at the same time who have no idea who I am, is hard...Having no space to breath is hard. Speaking that out loud is hard. Why do I care so much, I don't know...but for some reason, it makes me scream, shout, tear apart, break things when I am not understood. I do realize I don't show any patience at all. Selfish I have to say...Instead of taking a breath, I bake...but this week, it was not very great either. My most amazing chocolate cake, when done with buckwheat flour, is terrible, horrific. I could not even have more than a bite. Tasteless crap. Amazing how nothing goes right, when my mind is crazy in a self pity mode. Get out! So, I need better gluten-free recipes. Help!

So, I have not mastered being the witness of my mind, instead emotions fly in all directions...anger, jealousy, sadness, joy, happiness, fears...Wow, what an opportunity to practice, but I do want to take it slow, it is all happening too fast and I feel really alone in this. Well, we all are alone in our journey but it would have been nice to have some support in the form of a body, or yoga, or music or something else, therapy, a song or a movie...And again, a bad choice...Worst, I watched Issiz adam, a turkish movie, threw me off completely, very real, sad, romantic love story, full of tears, I fell asleep......Tomorrow is a good day, I just need a little bit of sleep.

Juices and Remedies

I LOVE MY STOMACH!

It is fascinating to me to discover health benefits of veggies and help friends. One common theme is stomach pain, and what to do with it. Here is the remedy! Plain old cabbage...juiced! It cures ulcers within a few days. You can make your own cabbage juice with half a cup of cabbage to a cup of water and blend for a few minutes. Then, drink this juice at once, without straining. It is not delicious but it is not nasty like Noni. Also, it can be improved with a few leaves of fresh mint, parsley and basil, even celery. It is super cheap and effective.

You can drink as much as you like, but I found that most people do 3 cups a day, 4-10 days. Of course, eliminating the factors that caused your ulcer in the first place is the most important step. That includes changing your diet, avoiding foods that irritate your ulcer (fats, salt). Sorry no more fried food for a while but you will be healed.

Looking into stress, anxiety and anger are also important. Exercise, anything that makes your heart beat, going to a walk, yoga, running, hooping, biking, dancing...but not power shopping or strolling with your lover. Breathing helps a lot. Try it...give your body the time to heal. Take it easy. No coffee or smoking...but no more pain.

Cabbage is also used a lot for digestive benefits. A cup of blended cabbage juice contains millions of friendly bacteria that aids digestion. My friend Viktoras, swears by cabbage juice and drinks his own elixir everyday. Anything that aids your digestive system is good. We want to move the waste fast from our system and help our body suck the good vitamins and the nutrients.

Here is his recipe for the Kimchi, a little time consuming, but I swear it tastes great.

For more medicinal uses of cabbage, check out Earth Clinic...

More details on Wikipedia and use of cabbage to cure the ulcer.

More scientific research on this on Google.
 
One word of caution, cabbage is not recommended if you have thyroid problems. I do and I try to stay away from it, but if you stomach pain, you can try a cure for a few days with one glass a day instead of 3 glasses and see how you feel. Please be smart about your health choices and don't give your power away by listening to others. It is very important to take charge of your own health. You know your body best.

Tons of nutrition information from World's Healthiest Foods. Great site.
And more...here...

I am happy to do more research, if you have any questions. There must be a natural remedy out there for anything. Migraine pain is next, actually. I have very dear friends here who have asked me about it...

Watching the stars...

I came all the way to Istanbul to read about this new google product, and not have to go back to Montezuma to use it. We have the best stars in the world.

 

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/planetarium-in-your-pocket.html

Yogi on the go...

I am going to write about my yogic quest in Istanbul on Yoga Yak!

travel like a princess!

Feeling nervous about going home, but I guess that is normal, getting out of my comfort zone, not easy. Obviously, I need to learn to delegate work, trust people and work on organizing myself, more than staying in and trying to do everything alone. Plus, my sister needs me, she is getting engaged so no better reason to learn how to be a child and enjoy the tantrums. Better have my fixes! I do want to protest the engagement party as we will be serving meat, so need some followers and a shirt that says "note to the bride: wish i could be at your wedding"- turkey chick"

This is what I will be consuming in the next 36 hours:

Snacks:
nori strips
flax chips
dried fruit and nuts
green plus chocolate bars
cacao nibs
apple chips


Entertainment:
Ipods, one loaded with grey's anatomy and feast of love, other full of the same old music i listen everyday

Doodling Notebook:
more t-shirt cartoon ideas...travelling vegan on board series, Wheatgrass Junkie Adventures

Books:
Walking the Tiger, Peter Levine
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waking-Tiger-Transform-Overwhelming-Experiences/dp/155643233X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242360571&sr=1-1

a room of her own, V. Woolf
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Room-Ones-Penguin-Modern-Classics/dp/0141183535/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242360502&sr=1-2

A Silent Ark, Juliet Gellatley
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silent-Ark-Chilling-Expose-Global/dp/0722531621

Thai Pumpkin Soup with Lemongrass and Avocado! P.S:Excited!

I am excited! This is just a great hoooopy feeling that I love. Heart beats, nervousness, breathless, but bubbly, loving and warm. I think green juices have a magic on me. I feel like walking on the clouds. I am leaving in two days for Turkey. I am looking forward to seeing how I feel about "going back' this time. Before starting to think about day dreaming about vacation, I need to get this menu out. So, today is day 2. We have a group of 10 yoga teacher trainees and they have 28 days to eat breakfast and dinner at Organico.

Yesterday, they had tacos for dinner. Today, it's pumpkin soup with lemongrass and coconut, Thai slaw salad with rice noodles, steamed greens with ginger and lime and wholewheat bread.

Want some pumpkin soup?

1kg pumpkin, roasted

1 tbsp coconut oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp fresh ginger

2 tbsp (or more) chopped fresh lemongrass (thank you Maile)

1 L (4 cups) water or veggie stock

2 tbsp soy sauce

3 tsp lime juice

1 cup coconut milk

3 tbsp (or more) chopped cilantro

1 avocado, diced

Cut the pumpkin into chunky strips and roast with a dash of nutmeg, about 45 minutes, 350 degrees. Peel when cooled.
Heat oil in large pan, add garlic, onion, spices & lemon grass. Cook, stirring until onion is soft.
Add pumpkin, cook, stirring 1 minute.

Add water, coconut milk and soy sauce and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.

Blend until you get a creamy consistency. Top with avocado and cilantro. Decorate with pumpkin seeds!

Happy Full Moon!

Full Moon in Scorpio
Friday, May 8, 2009
9:01 PDT
18º 40'

©2009 Lisa Dale Miller
All rights reserved

This is the truth or dare Full Moon; a time to honor the transformative power of truth-telling and a very intense Full Moon to put into action (through ritual release) the goals you set at the New Moon in Taurus. Since this Full Moon falls in a water sign, releasing your intentions near a stream, river, lake, or ocean is particularly powerful. But before you let go, have one last look at your goals. Whom do they truly serve? What will they bring to the world? Since Scorpio demands depth and fearlessness, this last look will have to be brutally honest. If your goals require a change of mind, of heart, and/or of action, this is the night to successfully tackle fears that could impede the ability to fully embrace change. Scorpio seeks deep truth by peeling back layers of lies and half-truths—within us and without us. This is a Full Moon to see things as they truly are, not as you wish them to be. The intense planetary configurations on this Full Moon will be a great help in this regard.

The Moon in Scorpio (intuiting the complexity of reality) opposes Sun (motivation) in Taurus (providing for basic needs and security) and both are square the amazingly spiritual Jupiter (bliss)/Chiron (healing)/Neptune (transcendence) conjunction in Aquarius, the awakener. This T-square challenges us all to look deep within to see our own fears and know how our fear creates divisiveness and suffering for others. The thread of commonality transcends any difference we might imagine exists between any of us. The Moon in Scorpio invites us all to see beyond the veil of intolerance and hatred, and embrace true reconciliation between all nations and peoples in conflict. How many more deaths? How many more bombs? How many more shooting sprees? How much more hatred? How much more displaced anger? Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Virgo urge us all to meet this call for sanity with real action.

On a personal level this T-square sets the bar quite high for each of us. How much longer can you say it is someone else's responsibility or feel powerless to change the world? How much more can you blame others for your own condition? How many more times can you call yourself a victim without looking at your own ability to just let go and heal? Yes, Scorpio is tough love incarnate: see it as it is, not as you wish it to be, and then deal with it in as life-supporting a way as possible. We can each in every moment make the choice to be real and responsible for what we output to our loved ones and coworkers and community.

The Full Moon in Scorpio is a time to release attachment to old pain and arise like a phoenix from the ashes of burned off karma; freed from narcissistic self-obsession and ready to help others heal their own pain. Jupiter (relating), Chiron (wounding) and Neptune (transcendence) in Aquarius and Uranus in Pisces make this a particularly potent New Moon in Scorpio to wake up and out of victimology. Visualize yourself as a snake, shedding its dead skin to reveal gleaming new colors. The fresh-faced innocence of Venus and Mars in Aries will give you the energy to start anew.

The Full Moon in Scorpio is the night for full disclosure. It is the night to empower ourselves by naming our truth and shouting it from the rooftops. This is the Full Moon to celebrate our right to know. Though your merriment can take many forms, it should be done with others. This is the night to show up in a way that feels most honest for you, which sometimes implies revealing a secret or a fear. When we name our fear it loses its power over us. Make sure that if your agenda is to reveal, that you do it surrounded by a supportive, caring group of people. Don't go this road alone on this night. Sharing the pain and the joy of disclosure is the way of Scorpio. It may only take one person to uncover a secret, but it takes many people working together to break the spell of illusion and denial.

The impulsive emotionality of Venus and Mars in Aries might make it challenging to openly discuss polarizing issues that have been hard to tackle. Make an effort to get beyond scripted points of view to find the real issues that divide and separate. Mercury in open-minded Gemini should help us to see all sides of any issue. Commonality can be gained from truthfully admitting where both side's arguments lack focus and power.

Talking openly and honestly is challenging, but works magic for bridging gaps and bringing people together. Venus in Aries and Mercury in Gemini will lend lightheartedness to communications that could otherwise be quite intense. Try passing around a talking stick, allowing everyone to speak without interruption about whatever is on his or her mind, and in his or her heart.

Remember that on any Full Moon, the Moon is reflecting the light of the Sun in its opposite sign. The reflected light of the Taurus Sun is aglow with the love of and deep commitment to family values. Taurus likes hard work, and opening the lines of communication can be very hard, but ultimately very rewarding. This is especially true when issues of self-esteem (Taurus) lie at the heart of a family's problems with trust (Scorpio) issues.

This is also a great time for couples to tackle trust issues, especially if a secret has been coming between the two of you. The aforementioned configurations will make this an intense night to reveal secrets and deal with the consequences, but the planets in water signs will provide enough empathy and love to get through it. Scorpio can bring destruction or relief and most times a bit of both. Just know that no matter what happens change is essential for evolution and growth. Remember that radical change done appropriately can lead to more solid relationships built upon openness and unconditional love. At its core, Taurus/Scorpio wants to love. Yes, Taurus can be judgmental, boorish, and opinionated and Scorpio can be too intense and demanding; but both signs eventually come around through an overwhelming need to love and give care.

The Taurus/Scorpio polarity requires that we learn about our power and then discover how to deal with it effectively. Those of you who can't take all of this deep disclosure can do something a bit more fun. Join your friends for a game of truth or dare, or create a mystery game or a treasure hunt. It'll be a hard night to pull the wool over anyone's eyes, but it might be a lot of fun to try!

So meet the challenge of this Full Moon in Scorpio. Go deep enough to face the underbelly of your life, your goals, your community, your nation, and then arise to embrace your power to transform our violence-wary world!

©2009 Lisa Dale Miller
All rights reserved

Juicy Cleanse Recipes....Green Goddess

We are starting a 7 day juice cleanse program with Montezuma Yoga. So, you can come to Montezuma, enjoy our daily made fresh juices, (tons of it, like 4 litres), if you like a deeper cleanse do yoga, internal cleansing and therapeutic massage. I love doing these packages because  I get to learn so much about nutrition and healing and vegetables and most importantly greens. Did you know, one of the world's strongest animal, silver back gorilla, is a vegetarian. Where does he get his protein? Greens!!! There is so much more protein in greens, than we have been told for years, about veggies. Hardly anyone eats enough greens per day, like 2 pounds, but with juices and smoothies, you can get all the protein you need, plus the benefits of a cleanse.

Here is a great recipe for you to get inspired at home. Come to Costa Rica for more juicy recipes and the real experience!

Green Goddess

1 cucumber
1 cup of packed spinach, chard, lettuce, any other greens your heart desires...
2 apples
1 inch ginger
1/2 cup parsley
1 stalk of celery

Slurp slowly, also it helps to chew your green drinks....Enjoy!!! Warning, drinking green juices reduces your appetite for greasy, fried food and sweet cravings.

I also recommend reading Green for Life, for more information on eating your greens and getting younger and younger everyday!

When I don't eat....

I've been juice feasting for 7 days. It was a roller coaster of emotions and some physical pain, my biggest lesson being I have to be patient with myself- for everything, not being a good friend, a business owner, not a great daughter, not a great runner, not the best chef for sure. But after spending hours of thinking in this last 7 days, same story comes up. I am not good enough...It is just too tiring, and old story. I know the beauty lies in the acceptance. No matter what it is. Even that means, being a loner forever, i am not afraid. I feel pretty empowered, like making dreams come true, but it is not about achieving...It is about being. I want to start practicing this now, not tomorrow. I am grateful to be alive. I am dreaming of hanging out in the hammock, with a book in my hand. A breeze would not hurt either. I am off today!

Great article from Daily Om again....


May 5, 2009
Progressing With Patience
Doing The Best You Can

It isn't always easy to meet the expectations we hold ourselves to. We may find ourselves in a situation such as just finishing a relaxing yoga class or meditation retreat, a serene session of deep breathing, or listening to some calming, soul-stirring music, yet we have difficulty retaining our sense of peace. A long line at the store, slow-moving traffic, or another stressful situation can unnerve you and leave you wondering why the tranquility and spiritual equilibrium you cultivate is so quick to dissipate in the face of certain stressors. You may feel guilty and angry at yourself or even feel like a hypocrite for not being able to maintain control after practicing being centered. However, being patient with yourself will help you more in your soul's journey than frustration at your perceived lack of progress. Doing the best you can in your quest for spiritual growth is vastly more important than striving for perfection.

Just because you are devoted to following a spiritual path, attaining inner peace, or living a specific ideology doesn't mean you should expect to achieve perfection. When you approach your personal evolution mindfully, you can experience intense emotions such as anger without feeling that you have somehow failed. Simply by being aware of what you are experiencing and recognizing that your feelings are temporary, you have begun taking the necessary steps to regaining your internal balance. Accepting that difficult situations will arise from time to time and treating your reaction to them as if they are passing events rather than a part of who you are can help you move past them. Practicing this form of acceptance and paying attention to your reactions in order to learn from them will make it easier for you to return to your center more quickly in the future.

Since your experiences won't be similar to others' and your behavior will be shaped by those experiences, you may never stop reacting strongly to the challenging situations you encounter. Even if you are able to do nothing more than acknowledge what you are feeling and that there is little you can do to affect your current circumstances, in time you'll alter your reaction to such circumstances. You can learn gradually to let negative thoughts come into your mind, recognize them, and then let them go. You may never reach a place of perfect peace, but you'll find serenity in having done your best.

Raw Food TV Show...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bme1A7on3VY&feature=channel_page

Honesty is just the most sexy thing ever!

Hurt! Where does this come from?

Hurt, feeling hurt, dealing with hurt. I suffer from this constant feeling of hurt. It hits me quite frequently, from all directions. Very close friends to complete strangers even dogs. I still feel hurt and have tears in my eyes that Prema left and never looked back. I give in to the feeling of being hurt and lay in its power, feeling helpless, alone and not understood. Addicted to the drama of course, I am directing the best soap opera ever.  Best part is blaming others for "my" feeling of not so great. All the time wasting energy on "How could she do that? I am sooo sad....I don't deserve that at all... Why? why? why? " The evil powers of the universe, working against me..Uffff, life can be tough even in paradise, but it is in these moments we realize what it feels like to be living and discover the beauty of letting go....of me, myself, my life, the toxitiy around me... It never existed anyway...



This article is today from Daily OM, is very well said. I hardly recommend reading it while listening Hurt, from Johnny Cash! Repeat mode of course!




April 30, 2009
Healing with Hurt
Using Your Pain To Help Others

Pain is a fact of being and one that permeates all of our lives to some degree. Since the hurt we feel may be a part of the experiences that have touched us most deeply, we are often loathe to let it go. It is frequently easier to keep our pain at our sides, where it acts as a shield that shelters us from others and gives us an identity—that of victim—from which we can draw bitter strength. However, pain's universality can also empower us to use our hurt to help others heal. Since no pain is any greater or more profound than any other, what you feel can give you the ability to help bring about the recovery of individuals whose hurts are both similar to and vastly different from your own. You can channel your pain into transformative and healing love that aids you in helping individuals on a one-to-one basis and spreading a tide of curative energy throughout the world.

The capacity to heal others evolves naturally within those who are ready to disassociate themselves from their identity as victims. In fact, the simple decision to put aside the pain we have carried is what grants us the strength to redeem that pain through service. There are many ways to use the hurt you feel to help others. Your pain gives you a unique insight into the minds of people who have experienced trauma and heartache. You can draw from the wellspring of strength that allowed you to emerge on the other side of a painful experience and pass that strength to individuals still suffering from their wounds. You may be able to council individuals in need by showing them the coping methods that have helped you survive or simply by offering sympathy. A kinship can develop that allows you to relate more closely with those you are trying to aid and comfort.

Helping others can be a restorative experience that makes your own heart grow stronger. In channeling your pain into compassionate service and watching others successfully recover, you may feel a sense of euphoria that leads to increased feelings of self-worth and optimism. Your courageous decision to reach out to others can be the best way to declare to yourself and the world that your pain didn't defeat you, and in fact it helped you heal.

Rice Paper Rolls...still

More on rice paper rolls, because i eat them everyday and still love them so much. Please try this home, it is super easy and fun to eat with dripping avocados and sweet thai sauce.

Here are some more pictures on how we make them. The trick is to cover them tight with extra chard or spinach. Then roll super carefully and eat within an hour or so, max. Otherwise they get soggy and not the same thing...Deliciously healthy and crunchy.

Recipe here...

Groovy Grasshopper!

I hate wheat grass juice. I love drinking it, i love what it does to my body, but still I can't get over the taste and I don't like it. We have the shots in the cafe and it is pretty popular. People who know about wheat grass, are happy to get it here and I am amazed to see some people coming back for it. Happy, healthy people or the hangover surfer dudes. Shots are the easiest way to get an ounce of wheat grass to your body, but you need a special juicer.  However, i got this new recipe from Honey, the amazing lady who brings our organic produce and she is also a midwife. She says she drank this grasshopper everyday when she was pregnant. Twice.

1 cup of fresh wheat grass
2 cups of water
2 cups of pineapple
1/2 cups of loose fresh mint

add some agave if you like it sweeter...

Blend the wheat grass with water, strain. Add the pineapple and the mint. Blend again. Pour and start hopping!  Super easy, super sexy!

Now, about wheat grass and why it is good for you:

Dr. Ann Wigmore brought wheatgrass juice into the mainstream many years ago and it is one of the foundations to her healing program. According to 'The Wheatgrass Book' by Ann Wigmore:

Increases red blood-cell count and lowers blood pressure. It cleanses the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract of debris. Wheatgrass also stimulates metabolism and the body's enzyme systems by enriching the blood. It also aids in reducing blood pressure by dilating the blood pathways throughout the body.

Stimulates the thyroid gland, correcting obesity, indigestion, and a host of other complaints.

Restores alkalinity to the blood. The juice's abundance of alkaline minerals helps reduce over-acidity in the blood.

Is a powerful detoxifier, and liver and blood protector. The enzymes and amino acids found in wheatgrass can protect us from carcinogens like no other food or medicine. It strengthens our cells, detoxifies the liver and bloodstream, and chemically neutralizes environmental pollutants.

Has remarkable similarity to our own blood. Wheatgrass juice is 70% chlorophyll. The second important nutritional aspect of chlorophyll is its remarkable similarity to hemoglobin, the compound that carries oxygen in the blood….when the "blood" of plants is absorbed in humans it is transformed into human blood, which transports nutrients to every cell of the body.

Sweetens the breath and firms up and tightens gums. Just gargle with the juice.

Is a beauty treatment that slows down the aging process when the juice is consumed. Wheatgrass will cleanse your blood and help rejuvenate aging cells, slowing the aging process way down, making you feel more alive right away. It will help tighten loose and sagging skin.

Why are minerals important?

Wheatgrass juice is one of the best sources of minerals. According to natural health expert Dr. John Whitman Ray:

* According to Senate Document No. 264, the official publication, 99 percent of American people are deficient in minerals, and a marked deficiency in any one of the more important minerals actually results in disease.

* The body is equipped to chelate only a small amount of some inorganic elements from nature. Therefore, the body requires the minerals to come from plants in a chelated form that the minerals may be properly assimilated and utilized. The efficiency of each mineral is enhanced by balanced amounts of the others.

* All nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, enzymes, amino acids, carbohydrates, fats, sugars, oils, etc. require minerals for activity. All bodily processes depend upon the action of minerals.

* Trace chelated minerals are more important in nutrition than vitamins. Vitamins can be synthesized by living matter, minerals cannot.

* Vitamins are required for every biochemical activity of the body. Vitamins cannot function unless minerals are present.

* Minerals are the catalysts that make enzyme functions possible. Chelated minerals combine with enzymes into an alkaline detoxifying agent which neutralizes the acid metabolic by-products of the cells and other toxic conditions within the body and prepares them for elimination.

* Hormonal secretion of glands is dependent upon mineral stimulation.

* The acid-alkaline balance(pH) of the tissue fluid is controlled by minerals.

* All elements work together as a collective whole. If there is a shortage of just one mineral, the balance of the entire bodily activity can be thrown awry. A deficiency of one mineral may disrupt the entire chain of life, rendering other nutrients either useless or inefficient.

wonderful information on superfoods...

http://www.dailyjuice.org/blogs/nutrition

Slurpy Miso Soup!

Here is the world's easiest and tastiest miso soup recipe, with amazing avocados and soba noodles! Miso has protein (2grs for 25 calories), vitamin B12, zinc, copper and manganese giving you tons of energy to play!

4 cups of water
1/2 cups of wild seaweed, wakame, arame, hijiki, dry
2 shitake mushrooms, (optional)
1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, sliced into thin matchsticks
2 tablespoons of yellow miso
1/2 block of tofu, cubed and marinated in soy sauce for 10 minutes or more if you want
Soba noodles
1/2 avocado, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons of soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
sesame seeds, for decoration
optional, green onions


Boil the water in a pot and add the ginger, seaweed, mushrooms and a squirt of soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos.  Add the soba noodles and cook for another 6 minutes, until the noodles are soft. Turn off the stove and stir in the miso. Do not boil the miso soup as it will kill the enzymes. Taste and add more soy sauce if you like.

Sprinkle the sesame seeds, avocados and the green onions. Listo!!! All you need is a friend or two to share the pot and slurp away!

killer tofu!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEJhZN4WJOo

chunky grumpy rolls-long post!

Feeling full and happy. Ahhh, pura vida, the beauty of tasting amazing, fresh, organic food that I got to eat in my own restaurant. Does that sound snobby? I guess a little. but hey I am working long hours, i need to eat well. Finally I figured out a way to make super easy, super tasty, super filling rice paper rolls...

Chunky because they are loaded...Carrots, beets, sprouts, avocado, 3 rice paper rolls, spinach, lettuce, mint, cilantro..These are gigantic, burrito size!

Grumpy because it is so delicious, can't have enough...but then even if you have two, you get full and it is so tasty you want more but don't have any more space in your stomach, so you have to be patient till you get hungry again..

This recipe has been a work in process since 2 years. When Anna from Australia was working at Organico, she made the Vietnamese rolls for us but they were cumbersome. Too much prep work with ingredients we don't use for other dishes so there was always waste. But we sold them a lot and loved to eat the left overs, even after two days. With more work piling up, we retired the recipe.

Last week, Igor from Montreal showed up, a vegan, raw chef and our obsessive food conversation lead to a spontaneous food demo class and we made sushi and rolls. For the rice paper rolls he used carrots, beets, spinach, sprouts, all the ingredients we have ready for almost every dish on the menu. Except for the veggie pate with sunflower seeds that needed some soaking time, tons of veggies, spices, not too difficult but another extra item on the menu...i loved the rolls but not got the clarity to go ahead for a new menu item. Though he taught us the trick to make really stable rolls, using 3 rounds lined up like a Venn diagram and it is so much easier to fill it with tons of veggies and tuck the ends and roll with ease. A trick I have never knew before, makes such a difference. Check out some photos...

Then, two days ago, i searched for raw humus recipes totally unrelated, because I am tired of eating cooked food, hours wasted on energy, taking tons of enzymes, loads of it, to off-set the dead food and trying to take care of myself. So, I found a great recipe with zucchini...It is the same exact humus recipe we use at the cafe, made with zucchini instead o garbanzo beans. I made it today but since zucchini is very liquid, the humus turned out way too wet. Inspired from Igor's veggie pate, I added a cup of sunflower seeds, and it was perfect!

So, here it is....best rolls ever...

3 rice-paper rolls, dipped into hot water for 30 seconds and lined up in a Venn Diagram.

lettuce
shredded carrots, beets
cilantro, mint
raw hummus made with extra cup of sunflower seeds, 1 cup of parsley and 1 cup of spinach (use 3 tablespoons of humus for one roll)
sprouts
avocado
spinach

Pile up all the ingredients in the order above and roll firmly. Serve with your favorite dressing or Thai sweet and chili sauce.

Making Chocolate with Keith

I metKeith 3 years ago when I first came to Montezuma for vacation. He is one of the few people who experienced my move to Costa Rica from the first day, watching Organico and me grow year after year. This week he was here again for a yoga retreat and it was really sentimental to share all the memories and also listen to his beautiful, inspiring real yogi wisdom. It makes all the bad days worth while when there is that one connection that stays forever and grows even without seeing each other...This must be cosmic love.

He invited his yoga group to my chocolate making class and i had one of the best times of my life last night. A full house, total Martha Stewart moment for me.

We tried 5 different flavors, basil, matcha-almond, coconut-curry-ginger, coffee-cardamom-cacao nibs, goji-cacao-spirulina. Then we rated all the flavors and the coffee one was the most popular, followed by coconut and matcha. I love doing these classes, it is so much fun to experiment, create and play with ingredients and share the love with others.

Here is the recipe and my gratitude to Keith, a beautiful angel in my life. I love you!

Fairy Chocolate Bars (70% Dark Chocolate)

1 cup of cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cacao butter, melted
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4+1/8 cups of agave nectar If you don't have agave, substitute with maple syrup or honey
2 tablespoon of lecitin
pinch of salt

Blend it all in a high power blender and divide in 5 bowls to experiment with different flavors.

Basil:
Add 1 tablespoon of chopped basil

Coconut-Curry
Add 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut, 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and 2 tsp of curry powder

optional: 2 tsp of candied ginger

Coffee-Cardamom-Cacao Nibs
1 tablespoon of coffee and cacao nibs
1 tsp of cardamom

Goji-Cacao-Spirulina
Add 1 tablespoon of goji and cacao nibs and 1 tsp of spirulina

Matcha-Almond
2 tsp of matcha powder
2 tablespoons of coconut milk
2 tablespoons of toasted almonds

Once you blend your flavors, wrap them on plastic or use molds and refrigerate over night.

And if you are in San Francisco, go to Keith's class at Laughing Lotus!

pizza blues...

maybe it is only me but i feel really yucky sucky and not inspired and almost sad after having a delicious pizza...maybe the yeast or the gluten or the fact that I ate it really late, is strangely making me question why I don't listen to my body...it also bothers me why I am so sensitive but I will just accept that as part of me, at least now and deal with the food part. It is lonely to be a vegetarian but at the same time it allows me to have real, deep experience with myself and I like that vegan wanna be, lonely girl:)

I am craving a cleanse but damn scared about commitments and others around me. I promised Ian to start a 30 day raw feast, i think I will do it. Why wouldn't I want to feel happy? Simply because it is harder to be happy than sad and the heavyess of being the victim, the "pitty me now please" syndrome...I don't think so.

Ian is serious about blogging his experience...Here....

I am going to try it, it will be fun....I want it to be fun! this is silly but funny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv2Ba0-w7-o

happy chocolate?

I am thinking about chocolate these days..having adult conversations around the subject with friends and talking openly about our love for chocolate. I don't know where all this is going, but I am playing with the idea of making chocolate. So far, we have been testing it in my classes, and people love it, but at the same time I do have a long history of loving and abusing chocolate, all the way to being addicted to it. I also know a lot of friends, especially women, who can't do without chocolate. Is this as bad as any addiction? Sure, especially if you are obsessing over it...Your mind time, if it is spent worrying, planning, thinking, searching, getting frustrated, being happy and all about chocolate, yes it is not fun but you can't stop it, there it is...Being under the influence... Personally, I am totally over the chocoholic days, I have maybe 4 chocolate bars in the fridge, untouched for over 3 months, a case of chocolate greens bars waiting to be packed for picnics and sort...but I am not sure if going back and making chocolate will contribute to other's addictions...Of course not everybody abuses chocolate, so maybe I am just over analyzing this, again, but it sounds like a dangerous love...I don't want to contribute to the weakness of others, i know how hard it would be, bu if i make healthy good chocolate and maybe sneak some greens of some sort, add some inspiring quotes or fun cartoons to the packaging, that might be fun. Afterall, life should be all about fun. We spend too much time worrying and stressing over  So, i guess I know what I want to do, tasty chocolate that is good for you and presented in a fun, inspiring way. It is organic, it is vegan, it is full of hmmm what would be a mood enchancer, happy chocolate?  Will be back on this subject with more ideas, i find this cartoon really funny!

http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com/topic/inner%20self

happy birthday!

http://cafefernando.com/cafe-fernando-turns-three/

chocoholics

I had my first chocolate making class today. Sooo much fun. After a
year of hunting down the cacao butter and all the pure cacao, it was
so easy to make the best chocolate ever! We started with a vanilla
base, cacao powder, cacao butter, agave, salt and pure vanilla bean.
Then, of course, played around with some spices and different flavors.

Today we tried:

coffee-cardamom-cacao nibs
coconut-curry
mint chocolate
ginger
chopped almonds

it is such a pleasure to taste these combinations and i can't stop
thinking new ideas...spirulina, wasabi, rose, chai, dried berries,
pineapple cilantro, chili, goji...........

cucharacha on me!

yay! I got a cucharacha! I love it, i found this thing in the market
and never knew they are called cucharachas in Costa Rica...super fun
to see people laugh, mostly locals of course. I went back to the store
3 times and bought the rest for my good friend Meche from Tzu Han, the
Taiwanese vegetarian restaurant, Christina, and another girl, friend
of Maria, who loved it so much...

wishing....

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/two-weeks-in-japan-recipe.html

universe please take me back to japan, some how, some day....but not too late:)

your pad or my thai! (stolen and veganized from alton brown)

I am home in San Jose. This is what everyday should feel like, being
around family, feeling love and cooking and lots and lots of
secrets:))) ingredients, restaurants, recipes, music, new babies, new
ventures, live kombucha culture that is about the take over the
kitchen and eat my amazing lime pie.

Discoveries, anything that is new, just makes my heart beat!!! Now,
what can beat that? hmmmm pad thai would be good! From Alton Brown...

Ingredients

* 1-ounce tamarind paste
* 3/4 cup boiling water
* 2 tablespoons
* 2 tablespoons palm sugar
* 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
* 4 ounces rice stick noodles
* 6 ounces Marinated Tofu, recipe follows
* 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut oil
* 1 cup chopped scallions, divided
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 2 teaspoons salted cabbage
* 3 ounces bean sprouts, divided
* 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped, divided
* Freshly ground dried red chile peppers, to taste
* 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

Place the tamarind paste in the boiling water and set aside while
preparing the other ingredients.

Combine the soy sauce, palm sugar, and rice wine vinegar in a small
bowl and set aside.

Place the rice stick noodles in a mixing bowl and cover with hot
water. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Once the
other ingredients are measured out into separate bowls, drain the
water from the noodles and set them aside. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch
wide strips, similar to French fries.

Press the tamarind paste through a fine mesh strainer and add to the
sauce. Stir to combine.

Place a wok over high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of the peanut
oil. Heat until it shimmers, then add the tofu. Cook the tofu until
golden brown, moving constantly, for no longer than 1 minute. Remove
the tofu from the pan to a small bowl and set aside.

If necessary, add some more peanut oil to the pan and heat until
shimmering. Add 2/3 of the scallions and then the garlic, cook for 10
to 15 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients in the following order
and toss after each addition: noodles, sauce, cabbage, and 2/3 of the
bean sprouts and peanuts. Toss everything until heated through, but no
longer than 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish
with the remaining scallions, bean sprouts, and peanuts. Serve
immediately with the ground chile peppers and lime wedges.
Marinated Tofu:

6 ounces extra-firm tofu, not silken

1 1/2 cups soy sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

Wrap the tofu firmly in a tea towel. Place the wrapped tofu into an
8-inch cake pan. Top with another cake pan and weigh down with a
5-pound weight. (Bags of dried beans or grains work well.) Place in
refrigerator and press for 12 to 15 hours.

Place pressed tofu in a 2-cup container. Combine soy sauce and
five-spice powder and pour over tofu. Cover and refrigerate for 30
minutes, turning once. Remove the tofu from the marinade and use
immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days.

Ahhh, the joy of having all the ingredients to this amazing
recipe----, this is real happiness that is like my new addiction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYhrYHmUPn0

be happy, eat veggies, spread the love.

day by day...

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. - Confucius

Another day from paradise!

I was looking for some inspiration for the buffet tonight and came
across Heidi's recipe for the muhammara...Perfect complement for my
humus, tabuli, tofu-feta salad, roasted veggies with lemon and cumin
menu....I think we have it in Turkey as well, its been too long I did
not have a good turkish meal...Anyway, try this sauce, make a dip or a
sandwich...It is soooooooooo good...still eating the leftovers...you
must love spicy to enjoy this dish...Happy in flames!

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/my-favorite-grilled-kabob-recipe.html

Dreamy Morning

Fascinating times in Montezuma. I got up around 5:30 and did yoga!!! I
don't know what got into me but I guess my body has been craving for
some attention and I went for it. Then, got outside for a run. Believe
me, I am not hyper athletic at all lately, mas or minus for more than
6 months, but when the bug comes, I can't stop it! It was magical...I
went for the soccer field in Montezuma, one of my favorite spots to
run in the morning, beautiful grass and always watered so I can play
with the springs and reminds me of my bootcamp days. The dream gets
better... As I got into the soccer field and there it was... a huge
trampoline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow! Like the ones they have in
competitions, big! Instead of running, I hit the trampoline. So much
more fun than my home style little guy! I jumped high!!! I wonder
where it came from, but thank you universe! I am excited about
tomorrow morning. Every town should have a big trampoline. Life is
fun, as long as I want it to be...go away sadness!

uploaded new pics on Flickr!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozdema2/sets/72157614784295033/

Octopus Wanted!

super tired, late at night, sleeping like a baby, BAM! I woke up in
that moment, jumped on bed and I was wrapped up in my blanket and
could not get up from bed and turned into a little ball, trying to
get out of bed, before the bad guys come in. Trying to realize what
was going on, whether a monkey or an iguana or an ant eater or
possibly the neighbor kitty cat fell onto my roof or am I still
dreaming somewhere in Istanbul, it took me a while to come to the
moment. All these happening in less than 20 seconds, totally shaking,
i found myself on the floor, another bam! and that hurt more than
anything. I could not breath for a second and then I was worried
something broke or hurt and started scanning my body diligently,
moving slowly...I was still one with a very strong heart beat! Yay, I
love my heart! Probably the funniest memory of my fears and dreams and
reality, all intertwined at this very moment, followed by a laughing
crisis. Again, I am my own very destroyer. Gotta love the Shiva in
humans!

Its been almost 3 years, I am living in the jungle, and still scared
at night. Want to adopt an octopus for a hug, until then I got a
beautiful hug from me. I love this card from Willo!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/willotoons/247786313/

natali dee

http://www.nataliedee.com/030809/gaze-at-your-own-mortality-5-dollars.jpg

good luck sunday!

just thinking all is going well, in peace, at harmony, arrived at the
cafe, on a sunday and the big refrigrator is hot as hell! taking the
day off, well deserved I guess! I am sooooo frustrated! I dont even
want to go into the kitchen right now. It is full of fresh produce
from yesterdays market, plus pots of beans, new chocolate cake and
many other stuff, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! hard to explain my frustration
words, just want to cry and shout and bang my head and breath and ask
for a little easy please... I work 15 hours every day and really need
some peace. I know everything happens for a reason and no matter how
hard I work, it will never be perfect. That kills me, knowing that
makes me run to the ocean and never come back but then I think of an
ice-cream that makes the day for a vegan and for that it is all worth
it again, to give another try...another chance to this crooked, not
fair, messed up world...it is my world....also, it makes me happy to
know I make the world's best turkish mocha tart! let this sunday be
pure joy, no matter what breaks down.

Best Lunch Ever!

I love peas...Sweet peas, avocado, curry powder and tomato and of
course cilantro and cracked pepper! Can I get another one??

Sooo good...Gluten-free sister, you can make one on this amazing
buckwheat bread from Russell!

http://www.therawchef.com/index.php?option=com_recipe&view=recipe&layout=defaults&rec=73

No measuring up!

I love love love Edward Esse, his recipes and poems!

No Measuring Up

Now I make time
to peel potatoes, wash lettuce,
and boil beets, to scrub floors,
clean sinks and empty trash.
Absorbed in the everyday,
I find time to unbind, unwind,
to invite whole body, mind,
breath, thought, and wild impulse
to join, to wallow in the task.

No time lost thinking
that somewhere else is better.
No time lost imagining
getting more elsewhere,
No way to tell this moment
does not measure up.

Hand me the spatula:
now is the time to taste what is!

Speaking of time spent in the kitchen, I broke my all time record last
week for this year and made it to 100+ pure love hours, cooking for a
group of 30 beautiful people. First time ever at Organico, we had such
big group, even made new tables and benches, bought new plates and
cups...and it was really stressful and rewarding at the same time. The
group loved the food and even mentioned to come back for two weeks
next year, so I am really happy. Now, I would like to focus on having
vegans, doing cooking classes for them and exploring spiritual
creativity with Maria. So far, all my dreams came true in Montezuma,
so it's only a matter of time... That said, the timer is beeping, time
to check the bread for tomorrow's burgers.

Soba Noodles

My good friend Aki sent this link, I never knew how to make soba
noodles properly and always had the bland floury taste. This is a
great site and helps a ton...I have been dreaming about Japan
lately...i wonder why.....

http://www.justhungry.com/basics-cold-soba-noodles-dipping-sauce

Guest House-rumi

Guest House

This being human is a guest house
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

RUMI

Voir Un Ami Pleurer

Every moment I breath, is a test...it is a test of my strength,
courage and how well I can manage to live in that moment...without
getting caught up in fears, pain, past dramas, depressions,
assumptions, perceptions, no judgement, no pity, no better or worse.
Every beautiful being in this world passes in front of us waiting to
be touched, heard and felt...In that exact second we see the beauty of
love, beauty of being alive and feel grateful for being part of this
universe. Today I am sad, I am sad to let go of a friend...l in a
relationship that was very important to me...many days of hard work,
tests of depression, happiness, love, many many recipes of beautiful
food, groups....It hurts.......sure there are others.....sure the sun
will rise again........but today I am sad and it is painful.......

in the meantime listening a beautiful song Michel sent me.....

http://wholewheatradio.org/wiki/index.php/Songs:Voir_Un_Ami_Pleurer_(824)

Happy Birthday...it is..

"Doing is a quantum leap from imagining."

detached and alone...

Difficult is life for the modest one
who always seeks purity,
is detached and unassuming,
clean in life, and discerning.

Dhammapada 18.245

Wireless Help

Lazy web, help me figure out how to deny access to strange computers
logged onto my network, that are not clients! I change the password
everyday, but still there are tons of computers logged in at this
moment....

what's next, what's next....questions...and more questions...

Be patient toward all that is unresolved in your heart.

And try to love the questions themselves.

- Rainer Maria Rilke -

new menu 2009

i am super excited for our new menu lay-out...

Happy New Year with Family!

Montezuma

I can't remember who sent this poem to me, but I love it so much and
wanted to share it again...

We are all longing to go home
to some place we have never been —
a place half-remembered and half-envisioned
we can only catch glimpses of from time to time.
Community.
Somewhere, there are people to whom we can speak
with passion without having the words catch in our throats.
Somewhere a circle of hands will open to receive us, eyes will light
up as we enter,
voices will celebrate with us whenever we come into our own power.
Community means strength that joins our strength to do the work that
needs to be done.
Arms to hold us when we falter.
A circle of healing.
A circle of friends.
Someplace where we can be free.

~Starhawk

Happy New Year from Organico!

Thank you for signing up for Organico updates. We are working on our
new website and soon we will have online cooking classes. Also, we are
working on Creative Spirituality retreats with open buffet meals from
Organico. Maybe we will see you sooner than you think back in
Montezuma!

In the meantime, we have a facebook group, search for Cafe Organico,
and become a member!

Please keep in touch, send pictures, tell us your favorite ice-cream flavor.

Have a wonderful new year, full of pancake towers, avocados and fresh pineapple!

Love,

my sister's cake...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guliz83/3145488496/in/photostream/

Organico Necklace

I met a very cute couple on the street and we experimented on making
necklaces for Organico...I love them and maybe we will start making
more...Life is beautiful.

christmas gifts

our latest menu

Baking Away...

My kitchenaid mixer is broken. It was expected so I am not too sad
about it. It served me for two years and worked really hard,
especially when Larry was around and kicking its butt with seitan and
totally abusing the little guy. Anyway, since we dont have a good
mixer, I have much defined arms, so I can't complain hours of hand
mixing. Also I can swear by better cookies and much nicer brownies. I
was probably overmixing most of the stuff...The latest challenge was a
cinnamon roll but we got over that with this amazing new recipe. It is
incredible, very easy and tastes fantastic. Highly recommend it!

http://steamykitchen.com/blog/2008/01/13/challah/

I need to find a way to make it vegan but the nutella...ahhhh it is
soooo sinful!!!

Strawberry-Basil Lemonade...

We have a popular Lemonade with Mint at the cafe, but this week, I
don't know what happened but there is no mint in the market...So, we
came up with a new lemonade. Strawberry-basil...We used 2 frozen
strawberries, 4 leaves of basil and a cup of regular lemonade. It is
very simple, creative and tasty. Lets see how popular it will be..

My little sister is getting married...

My little sister, hmmm not so little if you do the math, but I dont
want to go there...Anyway, they are a happy couple, and today her
fiance's family were in our home to ask for my dad's permission. If
you ask me I would say, my family is not traditional at all, but in
reality, yes, we are very very traditional!...In turkish we say, allah
sonunu hayir etsin:)))

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guliz83/2763004092/in/set-72157606722042458/

Unattended kids will be fed espresso and given a kitten...

absolutely necessary code of conduct at Cafe Organico!

Happy Holidays...

It is a beautiful afternoon in the tropics and today is Christmas! All my employees left early and i am by myself hanging out in our chill room, absolutely chilling...I need some time off because I am getting tired. Today I made olive oil lemon dressing with no lemon juice...but it happens, right? In the middle of this little town, I can't believe how amazing families pass by. Juliet and Tony, from the UK. They have been here for almost two months and Juliet is the the founder of VIVA, . They also have twin sons, one red head and the other blonde and they walk around town with "GO VEGGIE" shirts...So adorable! Juliet has started VIVA, 15 years ago and they have awesome campaigns. One of my favorite one is called Hey Meaty, you are making me HOT! Check it out!

Montezuma Film Festival

Come to Montezuma this weekend and enjoy the movies!
http://www.montezumafilmfestival.com/

New Season, New Colors, New Menu

We have finished the redecorating and the cafe looks beautiful, peaceful and really amazing. I am proud of myself doing this all alone with great friends. We spent hours in the hardware store but I got to the depth of the painting business, the color charts, quarts, rolls, happy times...The beauty of doing business in Montezuma is finding peace in chaos, usually because there is enough time to sit and meditate what is going on around you. Work is slow here. At the hardware store, it takes about 2 hours to go and get your stuff. Every moment is a movie scene,a comedy, almost impossible to believe for those of us who are used to the fast pace of "wash and go culture". But, these are the times worth appreciating what we have. Finding a good friend waiting in the car in front of the hardware store, seeing him everyday come and help in return for some vegan peanut butter and cheap veggie lunches is also amazing. The universe is sending me what I need, I am blessed with gifts every moment. Right now, I have everything I need. I dont want more but just days to enjoy these gifts, light breeze and happy smiles and lots of love.

I can't wait to post new pictures. In the meantime, the vegan peanut butter cookies are delicious and super easy, so if you like peanut butter, give it a try.

Peanutbutter Cookies

Mix the dry ingredients well in a bowl.

1 cup white flour
1/4 cup oat flour (or whole wheat)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Blend in a blender:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds, 3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup smooth peanutbutter
1/2 cup oil, coconut oil is the best
1/2 tsp vanilla

Then add the mixture into the dry bowl. Spoon onto a cookie sheet and mark with the fork for the traditional peanutty goodness. 350 degrees, 13 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cafe Organico Tropical Chutney

This is one my favorite dishes in our dinner menu. It goes great with Indian curries, rice and of course over freshly baked bread. You can do so much with chutneys, its incredible..try different fruits, don't be shy and experiment with your taste buds and buddies:))

The key ingredients are your spices. Make sure you have fresh spices. This dish is not spicy!

Makes about 2 cups

Masala
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon freshly grated turmeric or 1 tsp. dry turmeric
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Heat the olive oil well and add the spices. Fry the spices for about 2 minutes. Listo!


1 onion, diced fine
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced fine
1 cup papaya, cut into small chunks
1 cup pineapple, cut into small chunks
1/2 cup cilantro
1 teaspoon white vinegar, apple cider vinegar works great
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
1 lime or lemon

Once the spices are done, add onions garlic and red pepper and saute until the onions are browned under medium heat. Add the pineapple, papaya, vinegar and sugar. Cook about 20 minutes or until the fruits are cooked and the chutney is not watery. Add salt about 2 teaspoons but you may need to add a little more as you like. And finally add the cilantro. If you don't have cilantro, Italian flat leaf, would also work.

Squeeze one lime or lemon before serving...

Enjoy!

Months go by...happy

It has been so busy in the last couple of months, I am shocked to see I haven't posted much...Well, I got a dog. Prema! She is amazing, fun, loving and very very time consuming and difficult. I have discovered that I am a very self-centered human being..oh well, that is me...me and baking..and now Prema...My friend Jorge named her, after his first dog. Prema means love in Sanskrit. More love to the world..

News from the cafe...We are officially closed, but open to friends and any random strangers who happen to be in Montezuma in the crazy month of September. It is rainy season here and there is absolutely nobody in town. In absence of crazy work hours, I am spending my time thinking...about the new season, new menu items, new menu lay-out, employees, where to spend my two week vacation with my dog, ayurveda and ayurvedic cooking, chocolate, my family and how much I miss them...

And in the last two days, I have been thinking about everything but apples because I am doing an apple fast. It's incredible how food plays such an important role in my life and taking a break from it helps me shake it off a little bit, clean up my home, check in with my emails, write my blog, call my parents..also I spend time thinking what I want to eat right off the fast (Godiva chocolate that is sitting in the refri for two days!)

May all the cacao trees be happy and tranquilla.

I will post more often... Some recent photos..

Happy Times

Once in a blue moon, some person walks in Organico and I can't help myself making friends. It is hard to live in a transient place, people come and go and it becomes hard to open up to strangers you know they will leave in a few days...Still, someone like Lizard, is pretty rare to come by. You won't miss her in any way. She is from NY, so of course she is extremely difficult with her orders but also she is super sweet and funny and weird, she would find a way to make you do everything for her. We ended up naming a drink after her. Lizzle Dizzle, ice coffee with frozen banana and almond milk. Yum!

Rumi again...

What draws friends together
does not conform to Laws of Nature.
Form doesn't know about spiritual closeness.
If a grain of barley approaches a grain of wheat,
an ant must be carrying it. A black ant on black felt.
You can't see it, but if grains go toward each other,
it's there.

I am planning work trip to Nashville soon...I need to visit the south! Baking Fairy on the go! Just before Lizard left, we stayed in a fancy smoochy hotel in San Jose, went to shopping spent all our money on incredible dresses, went to dinner, made friends with the owner and gladly accepted 30% discount on our bill. The most fun part at the end, poor girl's facial clay. Trial size celebrity skincare...

Challenges

Its been tough couple of days, and now I have a big challenge on hand.
I spent so much time to figure out the menu, design the little details
but from outside, it still looks like a little shack my beautiful
restaurant and that makes me sad. Its incredible how much work there
is to do...the signs, the floors, tables...so i need help. If you have
an idea or a picture of a nice patio, send it to my way. I will post
some pictures so you can see what I mean...I am looking for smart ways
of improving the looks, attracting more people...sooo hard...it is
overwhelming...

Tree Yoga

I have done this! My new favorite!
http://treeyoga.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/sunstone_11new_ty_instructors.jpg

I LOVE YOGA

www.Iloveyoga.com

These people are heaven sent. I am so grateful to the universe, it is incredible. One of the nicest groups ever and they love the cafe, they love the food, I love them. Well, I feel pretty up in the air because some people even came up to me and said I make the best food they had in their lives. There are four amazing kids and they dig the icecream. I get so much pleasure feeding people. One love, we are one. I am so happy.

Check out the website, the cloths are fantastic too!

My favorite spice: Tumeric

Here is why you should also eat Tumeric. We add it to almost everything, but especially goes great with brown rice.

The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's disease.

Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric to your diet:

1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.

2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.

3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.

4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.

5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.

6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.

7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.

8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.

9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.

10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.

11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.

12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.

13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.

14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.

16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.

17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.

18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.

19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.

20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.

Electricity Costs

We are now paying 35% more to electricity and it sucks big time with my new A/C room....I need to find a way to install solar energy. If you have any information, please share it with me, I am sooo disabled when it comes to installing stuff. Also, I want to look into buyin the panels from the states, as someone told me it would be cheaper. Any ideas? Can I bring them in my luggage?

Amazing Dance

http://www.mysticaldance.net/

Faith...

When you walk to the edge of all the light you have, and take that first step into the darkness of the Unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen: There will be something solid for you to stand upon or you will be taught how to fly.  Patrick Overton-

And hence my trampoline! It feels great to jump.

new roomies

Well, this time a family of three...Bats! Last night, right after I fell asleep, I woke up with a noise, lit up my flashlight (that I sleep with) and saw 3 bats flying over me......I was ok with crabs, spiders, ants, mosquitoes and frogs but bats they totally scared me...I was up all night designing my new menu....Please don´t get scared and still come and visit me. I am feeling a little off these days, I would love to see my friends and family! It is beautiful and not so hot here.

Immediately I checked the psychic meaning from the Medicine cards...Very interesting....

http://www.globalpsychics.com/serving-you/sample-readings/animal-totem.shtml

In the meantime, if anyone has an idea to get them out of the house, please email me. I need help.

Feelings

From my good friend Maria!

"The wide discrepancy between reason and feeling may be unreal; it is
not improbable that intellect is a high form of feeling - a
specialized, intensive feeling about intuitions."

-Susanne K. Langer, 1967

Our topic this week is feelings.. A lot of time we hear about the
difference between the heart and the head, or between feelings and
reason. But even if there is a difference between them, there is a
connection between them. We can assimilate the two, and use the power
as one, to make the important choices in our lives. It's that merger
that empowers us to overcome any challenges we come across.

-Lissa Coffey

Where is my HR department?

You will not believe this...I love my employees, they have been
working hard, keeping the restaurant going and being reliable for more
than six months now...I am really proud to find such a good
team...However, I was shocked on Saturday when I interrupted a
conversation between one of the employees and a customer. The customer
was asking about our "Turkish Delight" shake It has coffee, dates,
cardamom, cinnamon, soy milk and bananas. I love it. I admit that it
is not every ones favorite but if you like cardamom and coffee, it is
really good but it also takes time to prepare, as it has way too many
ingredients that needs to measured, cut, ect on the spot. So, we
charge more for it, end of the story...Nope!

As this guy was asking about the shake, what caught my eye in terror
was the "disgusted" face of my beloved employee! I could not believe
it...I jumped into the conversation right away and then talked to her
immediately. Apparently she doesn't like cardamom. I don't believe
her. I think she was just tired to prep it and we do have much easier
drinks to prepare, so she was trying to manipulate the customer.
Awful! Maybe she just doesn't like it and I am being evil, but that is
how I feel! Sorry! Yes, I know training, training, training. I need
to take time to train people. But, give me a break, how could you make
that face...Funny thing, the guy ordered Turkish Delight,
regardless....Sigh......Though I am not in the cafe 100% of the time
anymore, I do look at the sales item by item and we have been selling
Turkish Delight quite a lot, despite that FACE! My god!!!

My next stop...

BALI....Here I come...

http://www.ubudbodyworkscentre.com/ubud_aura.html

Viktoras on Radio!

Viktoras and Katherine Clark on Tribeca Radio. I am so lucky to live
in same town with both of them.
http://tribecaradio.net/wpradioblog/2008/06/11/

Life Transitions

From Daily Om and I think it is so true for me...I am copying the
whole article here to read...Sorry, mom I could not translate it to
spanish for you:)))

Life Transitions
The Death And Rebirth Of Self

Sometimes a part of us must die before another part can come to life.
Even though this is a natural and necessary part of our growth, it is
often painful or, if we don't realize what's happening, confusing and
disorienting. In fact, confusion and disorientation are often the
messengers that tell us a shift is taking place within us. These
shifts happen throughout the lives of all humans, as we move from
infancy to childhood to adolescence and beyond. With each transition
from one phase to another, we find ourselves saying good-bye to an old
friend, the identity that we formed in order to move through that
particular time.

Sometimes we form these identities in relationships or jobs, and when
we shift those areas of our life become unsettled. Usually, if we take
the time to look into the changing surface of things, we will find
that a shift is taking place within us. For example, we may go through
one whole chapter of our lives creating a protective shell around
ourselves because we need it in order to heal from some early trauma.
One day, though, we may find ourselves feeling confined and restless,
wanting to move outside the shelter we needed for so long; the new
part of ourselves cannot be born within the confines of the shell our
old self needed to survive.

We may feel a strange mixture of exhilaration and sadness as we say
good-bye to a part of ourselves that is dying and make way for a whole
new identity to emerge in its place. We may find inspiration in
working with the image of an animal who molts or sheds in order to
make way for new skin, fur, or feathers to emerge. For example,
keeping a duck feather, or some other symbol of transformation, can
remind us that death and rebirth are simply nature's way of evolving.
We can surrender to this process, letting go of our past self with
great love and gratitude, and welcoming the new with an open mind and
heart, ready for our next phase of life.

Cenk is on San Francisco Chronicle!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/10/FDAE110LDE.DTL&hw

I am so proud of my Zozi!!! He is amazing! Gush, it is hard to be
friends with celebrities but I manage it ok:)

I got a trampoline...

it is amazing how the universe works and of course without Maria, it
would have been impossible. Right after I posted my request to the
universe, after being convinced that there are no more trampolines in
San Jose, Maria picks up yellow pages and calls a sports equipment ad,
"a tiny winy" ad...The guy says they have one and apparently schools
even buy from him, so we trust his word and go for another trampoline
hunt. It is raining crazy, we are already tired and it is almost 6
pm...but nothing can stop us! I am so lucky to have Maria in my life,
she is like a shining star, almost like the Ganesha, removes obstacles
so easily, makes anything, magical, she really has a fairy wand or an
angelic touch.

Anyway, we make it to the little store. I am skeptical of course,
because I have been on the hunt for the last 3 days with no luck,
dealing with slow sales people trying to sell me a baby trampoline or
telling me to come back in two months...For some reason, everything
takes two months! But I was wrong. They had it at the store, I got
one, Maria got one and we made good friends with the owner. Once
again, I am grateful to the universe. Om namah shivaya...

http://mantrasdelmundo.blogspot.com/2006/06/om-namah-shivaya.html

Request for a trampolin...

I need a trampoline, soooo bad.....Well, not so sure about the need,
it is more of a want, but still I would love to have a trampoline.
Maria and I looked all over San Jose to locate one but they are all
out. I guess everybody wants to jump high. Please universe send me a
trampoline so I can jump and jump and jump!

According to Sarma, (from Pure Food and Wine), bouncing on this is
actually one of the best ways you can detoxify since it very
effectively increases lymph flow (carrying nutrients to your cells and
waste product away). This has to do with the vertical up and down
movement as well as the gravitational effect of bouncing. It improves
your balance, strengthens all your core muscles (think toned abs!),
and keeps things moving and flowing. If you're injured, feeling a bit
old, otherwise fragile, or just out of shape, standing on it and
gently bouncing up and down for even a few minutes without your feet
leaving the mat is enough to wake up your immune and cardiovascular
systems.

http://www.oneluckyduck.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=393

Ayurveda Kitchen

I am a proud Kapha, but it comes with a long list of foods to avoid,
like my beloved avocado, papaya, nuts, coconut, oats...ay ay ay...but
I am always snoozing, tired and longing for energy, so I will listen
to my dosha and give this list a try.

Unfortunately, Montezuma is filled with mangoes, all over the place,
tons of mangoes and I have been eating at least one a day. Yesterday,
Dr. Chien, told me that I am allergic to mangoes, at least I know
where those itches and red spots are coming from:)))) Apples are the
only fruit I will be able to enjoy in the tropics for a while...

I found this blog,
http://franlife.blogspot.com/2006/03/kapha-foods.html with tons of
information and great recipes. So definitely check it out.

Missing home....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafefernando/2479352000/?addedcomment=1#comment72157605027835067

Favorite Salad

House Cafe is one of my favorite places in Istanbul and I go there
pretty much everyday and most of my friends are sick of it already,
including my sister. They have a great breakfast menu, not so great
granola but tons of vegetarian options and Turkish dishes. My
favorite out of all is the spinach-lentil salad and I started to make
it at home for my dad and he also likes it a lot.

Here is the recipe, totally my version, inspired from House Cafe.

1 cup of lentils, cooked and cooled. I cook lentils with bay leaves
and a pinch of salt, be careful not to over cook, they are done very
fast. Once they are cooled, I pre-dress the lentils with a tablespoon
of balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

2 cups of baby spinach, cut rough

1/2 cup of sun dried tomato in olive oil, cut fine strips

1/2 cup of goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup of toasted pinenuts

Zest of one lemon, cut into fine strips

Dressing, this is not an exact measurement, I made it impromt but it
is close enough.
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon Honey
1/3 cup extra virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Sea salt
1tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon Mustard
Optional: 1 tablespoon pomegranate Syrup

Just before serving, mix all the ingredients except pinenuts. Sprinkle
the nuts on top and enjoy...I wish I could have made some for Popeye:)

Hidirellez is coming! Make your wishes come true!

http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D313A781CAA92714FCE06A5A2497543C96C6