Gaia: Integral Veg*n

Re: My garden is in!

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:50:25 GMT

Hi Lizzy!

I found what they look like on search.

This is a picture of tomatoes that posed for me.

Re: My garden is in!

http://anuradha.gaia.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:45:57 GMT

how precious!

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:30:58 GMT

My neighbor gave me a lovely Tibeten pray flag the other day.
It just completes my garden space to a "T"

Re: Edibles ...

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:21:42 GMT

"There is nothing new under the sun, just alot of old things we don't know yet."
Ambrose Beirce
Incase you don't know him, he was the author of "Incendent at Owl Creek Bridge".

Edibles ...

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:34:47 GMT

Leave your favorite quotes here...

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.”—Carl Sagan (1934-1996); astronomer, scientist, writer

These are all alkaline foods photo'd

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:37:22 GMT

KES my dear
I wish I did have a camara--I just saw a tomato this morning too.
Things have been a little slow because we have had a cool and rainy summer so far and the growing season started late.
I like eggplant parm too and I can't wait to make pakora with my fresh eggplant.
I am looking into what I can grow indoors this winter.

Re: My garden is in!

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:17:27 GMT

Hi Lizzy! I have footage from my film to show what the flower looks like. I like eggplant parmesaen

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:06:25 GMT

Unfortunaly I don't have a digital camara.
I am hoping to get a picture phone soon so then I can post some.
I already meditate in my garden.
and today I got an eggplant blossom

Re: My garden is in!

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:08:51 GMT

Oh Lizzy! So profound. When you nurture yourself, it can't help spill out to things around you. Laurie Buchanan just blogged on this and the next thing I find is your comment. Such serendipity!

If you have a digital camera, can you post pictures of your beauties in the garden for us? Enjoy!!! I can just imagine yoiu carrying some salad dressing outside and eating in the garden... [one of my dreams]

Re: My garden is in!

http://anuradha.gaia.com — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:53:39 GMT

this sounds deeply satisfying, Lizzyl - and wonderful that you are in this nurturing space now with its rewarding spin-off happening all about

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:44:30 GMT

My peppers are blossoming now and my cumumbers have flowers. My tomatos are getting round--my eggplant is still a bit poky-but I am nutureining it along.
There is something deeply satisfying about seeing living things that you grew from small seeds, blossom and grow. It really enhances my meditation too, just to sit amoung the plants and feel one with them.
Not in a weird way, but then I have been thinking, all things grow better when they are cared for.
Last summer, I planted some herbs in my kitchen window, but they did not thrive. Last year I was in the throes of a very deep depression and I basicly did not give myself the care I needed, let alone the plants, so naturally they died.
When you nurture yourself, it can't help spill out to things around you.

Re: My garden is in!

http://anuradha.gaia.com — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:54:12 GMT

I must share that I have a miniature lawn on my balcony for my cats - they love their little green square and lie on it frequently and sometimes nibble the leaves.

Re: My garden is in!

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:38:46 GMT

With poetry that beautiful no wonder the cucumbers are out of control.
Plants love to be talked to and share zen moments with us.

Re: My garden is in!

http://anuradha.gaia.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:52:18 GMT

ooh so nice - brings a Zen garden and Zen mind into mind

love

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:23:35 GMT

Just thought I would share a poem by Muso Soseki from "Sun at midnight"

Kind of fits the garden

Among the rocks and valleys

Among the rocks and valleys
deep in the folds of this mountain
The Dharma does not go
up or down
Having seen through
old Huang-lung's mind
I plant vegetables
around my meditation seat.
Nameste
Liz

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:20:22 GMT

HELP!!!! MY CUCUMBER VINES ARE TAKING OVER!!!!!:))

Re: Ten Healthy Summer Foods That Won’t Break the Bank

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:29:25 GMT

While I am waiting for my garden to come in, I am out gathering any wild fruit I can. It is amazing how much wild fruit goes to waste in my area. The wild strawberries are peaking now and the blackberries are coming in. I have also been gathering from some cherry trees that no one seems to care about.
It's weird that no one seems to take advantage of these things that just spring up in vacent lots and on the local nature trail.
Of course I don't strip the bushes. I leave enough for the rest of the food chain.
I think it's just some of my smattering of native American blood. I only take what I will use.
Boy those berries are good and I don't mind scratches and bug bites--and it gives me an excuse to ride my bike more often.

Re: HummingBird Vegan Birthday Food Celebration

http://thatgal.gaia.com — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:02:45 GMT

Oh, all these celebrations and yummy recipes make my mouth water, can't wait for my lunch packet (rice and curry, of course) to arrive. :)

And since there are birthdays and anniversaries and celebrations upon celebrations, I can't help it but have to add a recipe very typical for the region of Germany I am from: the Rhineland. At all family reunions and celebrations there is one "dish" that is never missing. It's a summer party dish, a must for any BBQ and in many Rhinelandish households it is even eaten for dinner on Christmas Eve (along with Frankfurter sausages), not in my family though. :)
So here comes the famous Potato Salad - Rheinischer Kartoffelsalat. It is not vegan, however, the non-vegan ingredients can be easily replaced by vegan ones.

Potato Salad

2 kg of waxy medium-sized potatoes (e.g. Cilana or Linda)
vegetable broth
1-2 onions, finely chopped
1 jar of pickled cucumbers (e.g. Gherkins), cut into slices or cubes
(optional: 1/2 can of sweet corn
1 apple, cut into very small cubes
1-3 boiled eggs)
1 jar of mayonnaise
150-200 ml of plain yoghurt or creme fraiche
salt and pepper
ground caraway
parsley

Boil potatoes (with skin) in vegetable broth (or water) with a pinch of caraway until tender. Quench with cold water and peel potatoes. Put in fridge.
For the dressing, mix mayonnaise with yoghurt/creme fraiche (to taste), add 2-4 table spoons of the vinegar base the cucumbers are pickled in (from the jar) and salt and pepper to taste. Add onions to dressing. Set aside.
Slice potatoes or cut into cubes, put in a large bowl. Add pickled cucumber cubes, sweet corn, apple cubes and 1-2 boiled eggs (also cut into cubes).
Now pour dressing over the salad and stir carefully. The salad should not 'be drowned' in the dressing, it should only get a little sticky. Put in fridge to cool (ca. 1/2-1 hr). If the salad has become too dry now, add a little more dressing and stir. Cut left-over egg in quarters and use egg and parsley as decoration.
ENJOY!

Personally, that's how I prepare my potato salad (which has risen to quite some fame already): While I add sweet corn, I don't like it with apples (at all!) and I only use the egg slices to decorate (if I prepare it for a party) but I don't mix egg into the salad itself (if I prepare it for myself only, I leave out the egg altogether). Rest as above.

Ten Healthy Summer Foods That Won’t Break the Bank

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:53:43 GMT

Eating fresh, local, and in-season foods couldn’t be any easier than it is during the summertime. Fruit seems to drip off trees, vines burst with red and golden tomatoes, and yellow zucchini blossoms give way to long tubes of green. Whether you get your goods from the farmer’s market, a roadside stand, or your own backyard, the following ten seasonal fruits and vegetables are some of the healthiest and easiest to incorporate into your diet. What’s more, most of them are at their cheapest during the summer—running about a mere dollar or so per serving—making eating well as inexpensive as it is enjoyable.

1. Watermelons Composed of about 90 percent water, sweet watermelons are an easy way to stay hydrated during the hot summer months. They also pack in nutrients, including vitamin A, B6, and C. In addition, watermelon, like most melons, is rich in antioxidants such as lycopene and citrulline. Researchers have also recently found that watermelon has “Viagra-like” properties, helping to relax blood vessels and even increase libido. As if eating it wasn’t exciting enough! Blended watermelon makes a refreshing drink, served plain or with a kick.

2. Tomatoes A vine-ripened tomato, plucked straight from the plant, is arguably the ultimate summertime treat. (Peaches and cherries also vie for the title.) And full of vitamin C, beta carotene, and lycopene, tomatoes are nutritional powerhouses. Their versatility makes them easy to incorporate into many meals, and because they’re so prolific during the summer, farm fresh fruits are usually well-priced. Try them in pico-de-gallo salsa, cool down on a hot evening with healthful gazpacho, or try a simple caprese salad.

3. Berries are at their sweetest and juiciest during the warm summer months, and because there are so many varieties out there, you’ll never run out of options and tastes. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackberries … the list goes on. All berries are low in calories, high in vitamin C (with strawberries being the highest), and a good source of antioxidants and fiber. Some berries, like raspberries, can be relatively pricey, but if you’re near the woods or even an unkempt yard, free berry options abound! They’re great in sweet classics like blueberry muffins .

4. Peppers Though peppers are available year-round, they are most flavorful and inexpensive during the summer, when they’re in season. Sweet bell peppers, especially the yellow and red varieties, are packed with vitamin A, C, B6, and fiber. Chili peppers are no wimps when it comes to nutrition, either. In addition to containing the same vitamins and antioxidants as sweet peppers, spicy peppers have been shown to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Sweet peppers are delicious skewered and barbequed; chili peppers give this nopalita salad a bite.

5. Peaches Growing up I had a peach tree in the backyard, and during July and August the tree would become so laden with fruit, we had to prop up the branches with sticks. I used to average around two peaches a day, and their sweet, juicy flavor is one that, for me, as with many people, is closely associated with summer. Taste alone is reason to eat them, but they’re also high in vitamin C and A, a good source of fiber and antioxidants, and contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which might prevent age-related macular degeneration. Try them in smoothies and in peach cobbler.

6. Summer squash, including zucchini, crookneck, and patty pan (roundish ones) are high in manganese and vitamin C, and a good source of many other nutrients, including vitamin A and B. They’re low in calories and since most squash plants produce more bounty than one person can handle, they can be easy to come by in garden-friendly neighborhoods. At my local farmer’s market, I was able to pick up four small squash for one dollar—not bad! Perfect in zucchini lasagna.

7. Basil’s heady fragrance lends itself to numerous dishes and goes well with another summertime favorite, tomato. In addition to adding a flavorful punch, it’s also a good source of vitamin K, A, and calcium. Studies have also found that fresh basil has anti-microbial properties. Usually a buck or two per bunch, basil is easily incorporated into dishes, as in this fresh corn salad or homemade basil-infused oil.

8. Figs Though some are averse to their texture, for those that love figs, they are a heavenly delicacy. Available from June into fall, figs are a favorite of Mediterranean climates like California. They range in color from the blackish-purple Mission to the greenish-yellow Calimyrna. High in potassium, fiber, and antioxidants, figs go well in sweet and savory dishes and are a nice accompaniment to goat cheese.

9. Plums Never lacking in the variety of color, textures, and tastes, plums season lasts from about May to October, and during this time you’ll find a huge assortment in the markets. Plums, like apricots, peaches, and nectarines, are considered drupes, or fruits that have a hard stone pit. High in vitamin C, A, and fiber, they are also rich in antioxidants. The dried form is best known for its laxative properties. Plums are plentifully and most people with trees don’t know what to do with the excess, so obtaining them for free is easy, if they grow in your area. With all the leftovers, they can be eaten straight, sliced in a fruit tart, or made into plum jam.

10. Green Beans Green or string beans are usually found year-round at large grocery stores but the summer and early fall is when you’ll find them at their best—crunchy and extra sweet. Rich vitamin K, C, manganese, and a good source of beta-carotene make them an excellent addition to a summer’s meal. An easy side dish is this green beans with roasted almonds.

Truthfully, it’s hard to limit this list to just ten. Almost all of the fresh produce you’ll find in the summer is healthful, and it’s just a matter of what’s available—cherries rather than berries, nectarines instead of peaches, or parsley instead of basil. If it’s colorful, fresh, and in season, you really can’t go wrong.

By Brie Caldman

Re: HummingBird Vegan Birthday Food Celebration

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:54:12 GMT

This is so validating. You made some of the food... Now that is what I call a co-create! Like a real in present time cook book with the chef! Brilliant and I bet the first of firsts on the web... talking menus !!! Brilliant.

What a feast. I drool and feel love when I come over to this group.

I am a huge fan of you Glen for doing this... and may you and HummingBird have a beautiful romantic anniversary and I believe Meenakshi said that your b'day's next... We have leftovers here but you are not a leftover kinda guy. Thanks for the TOUCH OF CLASS!!!