Nourishing Spoon

Happy Spring!  (It feels more like summer today!) Since the clock has leaped forward one hour, it feels like your heart leaps with energy and joy now that the sun rises earlier and the wonderful, warm weather is here.  Time to bask in the glorious sun, scroll in the park.....time to go to the Farmers Market at Union Square.  The atmosphere at the market is so invigorating - fragrant lavender, herbs, flowers, fresh honey, leafy green vegetables......and ....GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN BREAD!  OMG!  If you are not vegan, there are freshly baked scones (g-f and reg).  My head started to spin. I was salivating when I saw, "Gluten-free Cranberry Scone (with orange)."  STOP!  I can't take it any more. I had to have this. Oh no! It had egg in it, too late.  Unable to control myself, I turned a blind eye to the word "egg." Totally lost it!  Took a small bite, it was gooood; it tasted like a baked treat, not card...

Zoe Vaklinova of RAWbundant Happy Valentine's Day!  I had a great sampling of different flavors of raw cashew feta cheeze  by RAWbundant at Organic Avenue this afternoon. Zoe Vaklinova, Chef and President of RAWbundant, explains that she uses the best quality cashews and the secret for the texture and flavor is that she implements the method her grandmother used to make cheese back in Bulgaria. I couldn't stop after the samples, I picked up some of the garlic and dill feta!  Btw, at the cash register, there were samples of dark chocolate.  How could I refuse - it's Valentine's Day!  With all my love, J xoxo

 Ringing in the New Year with sparkling mango-apple cider and black-eyed peas!  The sparkling cider was a sweet, non-alcohol sub for champagne and the black-eyed peas for good luck - a new year's tradition in many parts of the world! The peas are a good source of protein and "good luck!"  Can't beat that! Black-Eyed Peas 1 cup of black-eyed peas (soak overnight) 1 tiny strip of kombu (seaweed) 1 tsp cumin powder 1/4 tsp umchur (dried mango powder) salt to taste 2 Tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped) After soaking, rinse and cook until tender (approx. 1-1/2 cups water) with a piece of kombu (seaweed which helps with digesting peas/beans). When done, add some cumin powder, salt and umchur for flavor . The peas taste great just with some salt. If you find you have too much water, drain out and then add spices.  Finally, garnish with fresh coriander. Bon luck! Bon appetit!

On this rainy afternoon, I ended up downstairs at the new Fairway on 86th Street. My eyes landed on the freebie samples that they were offering - about to pass the table, I casually asked if the bars were gluten-free?  To my belly's delight, the response was in the affirmative!  "It's gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free," said Amotz, one of the Co-Founders of Sheffa Foods. WOW! C'est pour moi.  :) The snack bars are really quite a treat - I like their crispy, crunchy texture and they remind of the Indian snacks, but a much healthier version.  Amoz directed me to their "Zesty Snack Mix."  It was lunch time and I could have easily purchased everything I saw.  I did pick up the Zesty Snack Mix and am happily snacking on it while I type. It's really delish and a great new mix to serve to your guests this holiday season.  You could add chopped red onions, a tablespoon of chopped cilantro and some tamarind chutn...

Does God Speak to You? Does God speak to you? Sure God does. How often are you able to hear Him? After listening to a recent teleseminar on a related topic, my consciousness has shifted and I have become aware of how He speaks to me. Yes, I heard God, or should I say, God spoke to me -- one day on my way to Port Authority, when I was questioning myself, the bus stopped right in front of this bright blue sign:   Rethink Possible I truly believed the Universe/God was speaking to me. At the end of a long day, it was such an inspiration to see that sign. I later realized that it was AT&T's new logo, but I was happy in my heart - this sign had brought a smile to my face and lit it with joy. God is always guiding us and showing us that He is there for us. Little signs, little incidents. With an increased awareness tomorrow, let me know if you hear Him. On days when you are down or scratching you head for an answer, open your heart and connect with Him. Who knows what you ...

Two weeks ago, Organic Avenue opened a new store on Lexington Avenue (and 55th).  I have been so excited ever since I heard it was coming and couldn't wait for opening day!  It's a vegan diva's delight!  Raw, healthy deserts (is there such a thing, really?), freshly pressed juices, nut mlyks along with wholesome, tempting treats!  Their menu is called "the LOVE* menu" --  Live. Organic. Vegan. Experience.  As soon as I entered, I was greeted with a green juice sample - fresh with a nice hint of ginger.  Although the place is pricey, it's a welcoming healthy option and offers a different variety of fresh food than the regular eyesores in midtown, i.e., pizza, burgers, and deli's. I browsed through the store, checking out all future snack options, until I heard the Chia Seed Tapioca calling me. Hmm!  Couldn't decide between the Blueberry Chia Seed Tapioca and the Vanilla Chia Seed Tapioca.  Decisions...

Chopped Guacamole Ingredients:  1 avocado, 1/2  small tomato, 1 TBSP red onions,  2 TBSP cilantro,  1/2 garlic clove, 1/2 chili pepper  When you are stuck at home in the middle of a hurricane, tired of hearing the incessant chanting of   "Irene" on TV, and have an overstocked pantry and refrigerator (in anticipation of the hurricane), there's nothing like escaping into your kitchen to prepare your favorite comfort foods. Besides preparing dahl (lentil soup) with brown rice, I prepared some guacamole and peach salsa for snacking on with unsalted corn chips while we watched a Bollywood comedy. For the guacamole, I added 1 tsp of lemon juice and some black salt to the chopped ingredients above. If you like it hotter, add a whole pepper.  The garlic I used was fresh from the farm and quite potent so I used only half a clove. The chili pepper was from my garden (see blog below). Dr. Andrew Weil recently posted on th...