Simple Vegan for Parties | Mediterranean

One of the biggest challenges of becoming vegan is that we entertain.  A lot.

So, how do you come up with recipes that will feed guest lists of 10 to 25? And most of them carnivores?

As we try to figure that out, I thought I would post  the "feed a lot of people" menus that were a hit.

We decided to think about meals in terms of flavors.  This month at RDFL we served a Mediterranean buffet.  Here's what we served:

• Hummus with carrots and celery. I made the Hummus, but you can purchase pre-made.
• Falafels with pitas and tahini dressing. Falafel mix can be purchased at most grocery stores in the ethnic food section.  The pitas are key.  If you have a middle Eastern store anywhere near you, go there to purchase.  They will be fresher and have less preservatives.  If you don't have this option, slice flour tortillas into triangles (by cutting into fourths) and bake in the oven until crisp.
• Greek Salad.  Rachel Ray's recipe is the best.
• Tabouli I purchased a package mix to speed assembly, but you can find recipes online.
• Raw cookies with coconut, raisins and almonds.  I started with Ani Phyo's basic recipe, then winged it. Any vegan cookie will do.

To link to the menu, click here.

Simple things

Simplicity cuts through needless busyness, clutter, and complications. - Duane Elgin

Sometimes I need a reminder to focus on the simple things.
 
In fact, often if something is too difficult and too complex, it is a good idea to re-evaluate.  To make sure that you aren't making it harder than it really needs to be.  To examine if the fault might lie in you expectations as you layer on things that don't really need to be there.

If you look for it, there is an elegant simplicity to almost everything.  But finding it?  Ah...therein lies the challenge.

Turning a little into a lot

There is a story relayed from Jesus' life in the Gospels where he takes five loaves and two fish (the lunch of a little boy) and feeds a crowd of 5,000 with them.

I believe the principle is significant.

When we have something.  Anything.  And we give it to God to use, He can multiply it to volumes we never dreamed of.


The act that makes that happen is simply giving it to Him. And I am continually surprised that God patiently waits for the invitation. That He is never boastful, rude or self-seeking.

The beauty of waiting for our willingness--even for something as powerful as multiplication--is humbling. I am forever amazed at the character of the One we chase after.

An observation in etymology

Have you ever noticed that the word spirit is in the word respiratory?  In Spanish, the verb to breathe is respirar from the Latin root spirtius which means breath.  In Greek the word for spirit is pneuma. (You might notice the link to the English pneumonia.) And in Hebrew the word neshama is both breath and spirit.

It is as if the thought of God breathing life into man is so ancient that it is captured in our very language.

Yoga focuses on prana. Prana is respiration--but more than that.  It is intricately linked to the life force energy that animates all of us.  How interesting that the idea of "God-breathed" is a foundational concept--one that shows up in the most varied of places.

The Steampunk Shelves

John and I love the steampunk style.  It has a way of capturing the imagination.

If the concept of steampunk is new to you, it is a mixture of old world and technology. Think the Captain's Ship in Stardust, Warehouse 13 or anything by HG Wells.

This shelf--elegant in its simplicity--is simply copper pipe from the hardware store anchored to the wall with plumbing hardware.

It was a perfect addition to John's office (along with the framed 1950's framed pulp fiction sci-fi covers.)  This shelf is only phase 1 of the "steampunk shelves."  The rest of the design will carry over the door and around the room.  Stay tuned...

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UPDATE:  The next phase of the shelves is finished.  Check out the how to: http://bigtea.blogspot.com/2012/01/steampunk-shelf-final-product.html

Kazoo crossed over the rainbow bridge

I don't know how the idea of a rainbow bridge started among sugar glider pet owners. It is the kind way of describing death.

Yesterday morning at 5am, I woke to find Kazoo in the floor of his cage barely moving and very cold.  His tail--usually so expressive--was a straight line. So John and I held him and tried to get him warm.  He licked John's hand as John transferred him to mine. I sat in our big chair with him cuddled to my heart, then an hour later he made some odd noises and died in my hands.  I feel grateful that he didn't die by himself.

We showed him to Kayla, so she would know.  She smelled him all over, then stepped back. I think it was strange to both of us to see our little animated and crazy Kazoo so permanently asleep.

John and I wrapped him in a washrag and buried him in our backyard. 

I can't help but feel sad.  We will miss him.

More Adventures in Hot Yoga

If you move beyond gym yoga into studio yoga, one of the things you might find interesting is the different personalities of the yoga studios.  While gym yoga is pretty homogenous, studio yoga can be as varied as colors of paint at the hardware store.

A couple of months ago, I discovered Gaia Flow Yoga. One of the things I like about the studio is that they structure their classes in timeslots--so if you find a timeslot that works for you, you can take classes every day. (And they encourage that to get the full benefit.)

Not only that, but their classes--while sequenced well--are also designed to be challenging (beyond the fact that it is 95 degrees in the studio.)  I'm finding that this is the perfect "next step" for me in developing my yoga practice.

One of the things that has surprised me about the shift in studios is what discovering my limitations--and attempting to move past them--does for me mentally. I've become much more aware of how sleep, eating, and the water I drink affect me physically.  The other big factors are focus and breathing.  When I am having to work that hard to hold a pose, suddenly focus and breathing really matter. There is no margin to get sloppy with it.

But maybe one of the most interesting discoveries in the process is the adventure in acceptance.  Realize that in my head, I'm still 20 years old; yet in the mirrors at the studio, I'm clearly mid-40's. And I can't move as effortlessly (nor do I look nearly as fantastic in the mornings) as the 20-somethings that are drawn to this style of yoga.  Yoga is a very personal discipline.  And being able to appreciate my own progress and allowing myself to improve through surrender rather than striving have been new concepts for me. (Ones I didn't even know I needed to learn.)

Perhaps one of my favorite things about yoga is that there are continually new places to go.  You never stop learning.  It really is an adventure.

When you know your friends are in trouble...

The other day I mentioned to a friend that I was pretty sure another close friend of ours had simply stopped liking me and I wasn't sure how to approach it. She responded that it wasn't me, and went on to reveal that this friend has withdrawn from all of her close relationships.

And that is a problem.

Because by the time it is noticeable to friends, it is usually pretty far in the process.

In watching people--especially couples--hit the wall, one of the commonalities is deep hurt (or deep anger) that leads to someone building fortified internal walls a couple of years before the crisis hits. (In some cases it is about decades of walls.)  Rather than protecting--what the walls are supposed to do--they isolate.  They starve.  They leave the person more vulnerable than if they were living their life open and free. Because though we trust the walls to protect ourselves, they separate us from love and being known--the two things we desperately need to thrive.  And it pains me to think about how many people we know everyday who are spending their most creative energies on brick and mortar.

Breaking walls takes work.  A great deal honesty.  Of owning things we wish weren't true.  It takes dealing with the pain that caused you to build walls in the first place.  And it requires a level of transparency between yourself and God--and others close to you--that feels like you will come undone.

As for my friend, I'm still praying about that one.  As John Eldredge so aptly said in his book, Walking with God: Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really....

For you must beware - the very thing you want to speak to is booby-trapped.  Just as its counterpart is in you.  Booby-trapped in the sense that you can't just walk in and make your observation and expect things to go swimmingly.  Of course, there's the usual defensiveness and anger we often meet when lifting the lid on someone's life.  But the booby trap is more than that.  Quite often the issue is entangled with deep wounds in that person's heart, and what bugs you is, for them, a long-developed and carefully honed defense mechanism.  You go poking around in there and the booby trap goes off - shame, anger, withdrawal, self-contempt.  And if the enemy has a stronghold there, you'll just wake the guard dog and it will turn on both of you.

This is going to take humility and submission.

Walk with God.  When do I bring this up, Lord?  What do I say?  Then wait for the go-ahead, even if it means months or years.  It will take real restraint.  Genuine holiness.  But what you can rest assured in is this - the issue will come around again.  This isn't the only chance you'll have.  Pray as soon as you encounter it, but be willing to let it go, no matter how tweaked you are, if that's what God says to do.  It will come around again.

Bryn's Wedding

My niece, Bryn, got married today.  As the first of the kids to do so, it was especially exciting, since she married my son, Chase's best friend, Jason.

Weddings are an amazing celebration of family.  It is one of the few times when everyone who is connected is gathered in the same place. (And all dressed up and beautiful!)

I was really proud of Chase and Bethany--and the incredible grown-ups they've become.  Beth worked tirelessly helping with floral arrangements and last minute details.  Chase gave an amazing toast to Bryn and Jason's new life together. (He was also great with the comic relief!)

I snapped a great photo of my father-in-law giving some grandfatherly advice to the new couple.

Weddings seem to highlight the passing of time, and it was fun to see the children I used to watch play out pretend adventures now having real ones.

It was a really special day.

Simply Vegan | Spicy Tofu

One of our RDFL peeps--Chris--introduced me to his spin on this recipe from Vegetarian Times.   We made it tonight and it was delicious.

2 pkgs extra firm tofu, drained, patted dry and cubed to 1/4"
6 T soy sauce
4 T sriacha
4 T seasoned rice vinegar
2 T maple syrup
4 t. toasted sesame oil
8 green onions, thinly sliced
4 T vegan mayonaise

Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat and cook until cubes are golden, stirring ocaissionally--about 10 min.

Stir together soy sauce, sriacha, rice vinegar, maple syrup and sesame oil and pour over browned tofu. Bring to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid evaporates--about 6 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in green onions and mayonnaise.  Serve warm or chilled with rice or use as filling for sushi rolls. 

The best things in life are... (available by Groupon)

Last night, my friend Elsa-the-Poet and I, had a delicious dinner while listening to the sounds of Freddy Jones at the Brooklyn Jazz Cafe.  I highly recommend it.  (Even if you don't have a Groupon.)

Consumption vs. Enjoyment

We live in a consumer culture. There is very little we can't own.

When John and I lived in Panama, we spent six weeks in base housing with very few possessions.  Hold baggage--they call it.  The bare minimum you need to survive while you wait for the rest of your belongings to travel by boat.

It was freeing.  Everything was so simple that we had a ton of time.  We met our neighbors, we explored, and yes...sometimes we were even a little bored (which meant we got out and discovered things to make us 'unbored.')

I have this secret fantasy that if we were to downsize to one of the sample rooms in the Ikea showroom (500 square feet) that we would get out more.  We would go to the library, the coffee shop would become our new living room, we would go for more walks. We might even enjoy all the things we encountered more because there was no responsibility of ownership.

But at the moment, our house is a tool.  We host gatherings.  We serve as a b&b multiple days a week. We care for the wildlife in our yard (squirrels, bunnies and birds). And I love that, but I also don't see it as permanent.

I think one of the keys to possessions is to hold them loosely. To never see yourself as actually owning them.  To consider them as tools to be used for a time.  That way, when it is time to release them, you can do it joyfully. And experience the freedom of not being burdened with the responsibility of so many things.

Sexuality and Self Worth

When you've been married as long as John and I have you get to watch other people's marriages.  I've written about the friends we've seen crumble.  About how we hit the wall ourselves.

So I've spent a lot of time wondering why. Because the stories people tell aren't always true ones.

One of my friends believes after 22 years of marriage that she finally met the love of her life in one of their friends.  She walked away from her family and affirms it was the right choice.  Watching the pain that fell on her husband and children, I have to ask....really?  Another friend left her husband for a volitile relationship, and also affirms she is happier. But it doesn't reach her eyes when she says it.

Others who have had affairs stayed to try to repair their marriages. One person said, "I can't believe I was going to give up so much for so little."  If affairs were logical, then the people participating in them would honorably leave their family first to pursue this new 'love' instead of hiding and lying--caught between their normal life and the world of the affair.

As much music and movies tell us otherwise, I don't believe affairs are about love at all.  I think they are about validation.  "I am worth something because this other person finds me sexually attractive."  We live in a culture where a man's worth is increased by the number of women he can seduce and a woman's worth is found in her physical desirability. Mix this concept with the fact that few of us believe we have worth and we become targets. Pornography, emotional or physical affairs act like drugs to our worth-starved souls--because believing you are beautiful (or desirable, or worthy) is a high that once experienced is hard to live without.

While most marriage counseling focuses on issues between the couple, I think the problem is actually an individual one. And I believe each person's vulnerability has to do with the way they see themselves.

We are beautiful.  Unique. Special. Wonderfully made. But we let regrets, places we don't perform as well as others and guilt of our mistakes shape our identity. Then we get busy in activity to lift that guilt. To prove our worth.  All the while building walls around our hearts so we can't feel the longing for the love we don't believe we are worthy to receive.

People who are healthy sexually are people who believe they are loveable.  Loved by God. Loved by their spouse. Loved by themselves. (On this last one, it is about actual love...not about artificial love like arrogance or ego.)  Because the more love you believe in, the easier it is to give it away.  Sex is no longer about validation.  It becomes a natural expression of the joy of being together.

Oddly enough, the emotion of love is something we generate inside.  It does not come from outside of ourselves.  We initiate it in response to another.  Most of us love our pets more deeply than we love people because we are not afraid of them.   We allow ourselves to open. 

The scriptures say that "perfect love casts out fear," but I would argue the converse is true as well.  "Fear casts out perfect love."

If we want to be more healthy in our sexual lives, we have to deal with how we see our own worth. And as it turns out, the One who made us finds us incredibly precious and of great value. We just have to be unafraid enough to connect with that.

Profound (for me anyway)

I am currently enamored of reading the "red letters" in my personal Bible study.  In many Bibles, the words of Jesus are highlighted by using red text.

There is only one big listing of the teachings of Jesus and that is in the sermon he gave from a mountain.  The sermon starts with a series of couplets called "the Beatitudes." Each couplet starts with "Blessed are you when..."

So, I've been thinking about blessing...not just in terms of being 'happy' but in more of an ancient sense.  In terms of being favored...especially by a father.  The concept of blessing as a combination of favor and inheritance. (Like in the story of Jacob when he tried to steal the blessing from his father.)

With this thought in mind, I read the Beatitudes substituting: "You have God's favor when..." for blessed.  It opened  a whole new way of seeing them...

Random Cathy's translation of Matthew 5...

The poor in spirit have God's favor, their inheritance will be the kingdom of heaven.
Those who mourn have God's favor, their inheritance will be comfort.
Those who are meek have God's favor, their inheritance will be the earth.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness have God's favor, their inheritance will be satisfaction.

Those who are merciful have God's favor, God will show them mercy.
Those who are pure in heart have God's favor, their inheritance will be to see God.
Those who create peace have God's favor, their inheritance will be to be called the children of God.
Those who are persecuted because of righteousness have God's favor, their inheritance is the kingdom of heaven.

Later in the book of Matthew, Jesus tells a story about judgment.  ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

I find I write a lot about living counter-culturally.  But this message by Jesus is far more radical than any idea I've ever had in my head. Embracing poverty, meekness, mercy, peace and purity is counter-cultural. And--as it would seem from the passage above--something that God blesses. 

Frugalista

One of the things about eating vegan is that it is actually a lot cheaper than the standard American diet.  When your base is variations of rice and beans and there is no processed food, the grocery bill drops--even when shopping at Whole Foods.*

And so I've become curious if there are other places where my lifestyle could be simplified.  After all, if the standard American diet isn't the most healthy for us, what if there are other things in our lifestyle that are unhealthy, too?

I recently ran across Dave Bruno's blog, who wrote the The 100 Thing Challenge: How I Got Rid of Almost Everything, Remade My Life, and Regained My Soul. Dave is taking on American consumerism--especially as it relates to what we believe it takes to have a suburban lifestyle.

I've always thought I was pretty frugal.  After all, I'm a TJMaxx girl instead of a Nordstrom's girl. I'm not into expensive handbags. We buy lower-end cars.  But the thing I do a lot, is pay money to buy time. This includes things like donating a rice cooker that still works and picking up a new one that takes less time to clean, buying supplies for an art project because it will take to long to dig through what I've got, buying an additional hair dryer so I don't have to wait for the one at work...and while on the surface that may seem practical, the biggest challenge is that I often make expedient purchases rather than thoughtful ones.  Not only that, but it feels great to have new stuff.  A blank canvas is way more fun to paint on than reusing one where you botched the project. A new sweater simply feels better than a patched one. And the list goes on...

I'm not sure how this new definition of being a 'frugalista' will impact me.  Still percolating on that...


* While this should have positively affected our budget, it hasn't.   Many nights I am way too tired to cook and we eat out--expensive for vegans. My rationale is... "with all the money we are saving on groceries..."

Mrs. Squirrel

We have a single tree in our front yard, and recently with the 100+ temperatures we've been experiencing in Dallas, no one is getting a break.  Especially not the wildlife. 

So when the temps got hot, we started noticing that the squirrel that lives in the top of the tree moved to lower, shadier and hopefully cooler quarters .

In fact, today, she had even dug a place in the ground at the base and was laying out like a bear rug in the mud.

John and I have been making friends by leaving gifts of raw cashews, sunflower seeds and almonds with an occasional date or two.  And she no longer runs up the tree when we come to put our gifts in the branches.

Our friend, Kacie, snapped these really great photos.

I'm glad to have closeups of Mrs. Squirrel.