Zen and Lentils

On stage at the Beacon Theater in New York City, Thich Nhat Hanh, the beloved Zen master, quietly and without fanfare, slips through the calm sea of brown robed monks and nuns. Sitting serenely on a pillow, front and center, he says nothing for a while. His peace of silence can be felt in this cavernous space, its two thousand plus people, hushed. When he finally speaks it is a flowing stream of consciousness. The topic is Building a Peaceful and Compassionate Society.

You have to really listen intently hear his soft words. I am truly excited, almost jumping out of my skin, to be in the presence of this small, elderly, yet powerful man. Sure, I've read some of his books and have listened to his talks on CD about a wide range of subjects - mindfulness, taking care of anger, cultivating peace, being free, joy, walking meditation, prayer, the Buddha, Jesus, love - but nothing compares to being up close and personal. "This guy is talking to me!" I think, or that's what it feels like. He's speaking directly to the heart from the heart.

Born in Vietnam, Thich, or 'Thay', as he is affectionately called, had early yearnings to be a Buddhist monk. When war and violence ensued in his country, he was exiled to France and started the community of Plum Village. People from all over the world flock there to receive teachings and trainings. There is no agenda here, no trying to convert people to a different religion, only compassionate teaching and that is why I'm so drawn to this.

In my own words, he says you cannot begin to really help others without first taking care of yourself. Your wholesome desires must be cultivated and cared for. Go to the sangha, or the community of people who practice and worship together, for support and encouragement. Nourish yourself in different ways. Avoid violence on TV, in movies, in the news. He points out in a non-judgmental way that the UN asks for a reduction of meat by one half in order to make a positive impact on our planet. Also he says many can cut out meat entirely. Take care of anger and other emotions by looking deeply into yourself, through mindful breathing and meditation.

Detailed instructions are given in his many books, my favorite, the pocket-sized book 'Be Free Where You Are.' This is a talk given at a correctional institute to more than one hundred inmates to show how mindfulness practice can cultivate freedom no matter where you are.

This is a full day of mindfulness. We eat together in silence, chew our food well and enjoy it fully, without distractions. It feels a bit strange. How often do we really eat that way?

Throughout the program the monks and nuns, who operate as a seamless whole, sing sweet songs akin to lullabies. There is some guitar playing and hand gesturing for the audience do so as well. I feel like a small child, happy and free, singing and allowing my hands to dance. Other people are doing the same. It feels liberating to let the guard down. I don't feel silly anymore. "Hey, this is fun!"

Thay instructs us on how to do walking meditation. Breathing in for two steps, mentally say I AM AWARE... breathing out for three steps, mentally say I HAVE ARRIVED. We, all two thousand of us, that is, on the traffic clogged streets of Manhattan, walk ever so slowly, serenely, and deliberately, interrupting the busy masses and drawing curiosity. Led by the little monk and his brown robed disciples we make our way around the four blocks of the theater. We are not disrupted by the honking horns.

We each receive a card with a quote by Thich Nhat Hanh:

"Whether we can wake up or not depends on whether we can take conscientious and mindful steps.
The future... of all of life on the earth, depends on our steps."

www.mindfulness.nyc.org
www.iamhome.org

And now a little about the ordinary brown lentil. How about that for a segue? Why lentils you ask? Because they are so often overlooked, easy to cook, delicious, and cheap! How often do you hear "Did you try that amazing lentil stew at that new restaurant that just opened up on the corner of Main and Dish Streets?" or "For my last meal I would like lentil soup."

These mini matte brown disks can be boiled up with onions, garlic, and root vegetables. Add a little spice, some salt and pepper and voila, an earthy and filling soup to take the chill off. They can be cooked a little more than al dente, dressed with a splash of vinaigrette and served as a glistening bed on which to showcase some grilled or roasted vegetables or whatever you like. Cooked to a savory, mushy, soft pudding, add some butter, salt and pepper and here you have some high protein comfort-in-a-bowl. Or throw a small fist full into the pot of rice you are cooking for a boost of taste and nutrition. I think they have the faintest taste of cinnamon, allspice, and clove and are a 'meaty' presence on the plate.

So, so many ways to prepare the humble, ordinary legume. Who would think that they may just save the world! Here's one mindful step... eat more lentils!

Here is my new favorite lentil soup I've concocted which I can't get enough of these days. It's got a Middle Eastern tart lemony taste balanced by sweet parsnips and fresh herbs. Don't be put off by the name though, there is no cream in this soup but some rice which cooks soft and creamy in the soup.

CREAMY LENTIL PARSNIP SOUP six to eight servings

6 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water(or any combination of stock to water0
1 cup of lentils, washed and sorted(I like to soak them for two or more hours of hours, they cook faster and are more digestible that way)
2 medium parsnips, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 T jasmine, basmati, or other white rice
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp allspice

1 tsp salt or to taste
2 T fresh lemon juice, seeds removed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped

2 T extra virgin olive oil(more or less as you like)
1 T butter or ghee, optional
salt and pepper to taste

Put the lentils, broth, parsnips, onion, carrot, and dried herbs into a medium saucepan, and on high heat, bring to a boil. Turn the flame to low and simmer with the lid on for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the lentils and rice are very soft.

Remove the saucepan from the stove and puree about half of the soup in the blender, or you could use an immersion hand blender. The idea is to get a creamy soup with some chunks in it.

Put the saucepan back on the stove over a high flame and stir in the salt, lemon juice, and fresh herbs. Bring to a boil, then turn to low and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until the fresh herbs have wilted and cooked somewhat.

Stir in the olive oil, optional butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with fresh herbs and a pinch of allspice if you wish.

This tastes even better the next day. You may need to add water if it thickens up too much. It tastes good even without the marjoram and sage. These little buggers are a very forgiving sort. Try them!

Kitchen Capers

Time whizzes by all too fast as the distraction monster's immense claws pull me away from my little kitchen kingdom. Such is life I suppose. But now that I am back I'm attempting to make up for lost time by putting all those miscellaneous thought bubbles into concrete forms. I got my six burner Thermador all fired up and humming again. I'm creating recipes, cooking and testing them, and while for me it's fun, fun, fun, it is fraught with potential disaster. Kitchen flops can be hilarious but I didn't think so at first when I pulled my gluten free chocolate chip gingerbread spice cake out of the oven, burned my hand, and flipped the whole pan upside down onto the floor. Lucky for me the floor was reasonably clean, and being an adherent of the much revered twenty second rule, I scooped the whole messy pile back into the pan with a spatula, at which time Olivia and I proceeded to eat the hot goo with our hands. I have to say I really didn't like it very much, way too much molasses for my taste. Both the recipe and the cake got chucked in the garbage can. Chalk it up to experience, have a chuckle and move on...

I am happy with this vegan and soy free version of moussaka though, and when I eat it I feel like I've just eaten at my favorite Greek restaurant without the obligatory heartburn. It's a homey and satisfying casserole of roasted veggies, a cinnamon-spiked chunky Greek tomato sauce, and a chickpea cashew cream topping. Let me admit that my recipe was inspired by the one in the Veganomicon, The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.


POTATO EGGPLANT MOUSSAKA WITH CHICKPEA CASHEW CREAM

Serves 6, or 4 very hungry people
Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Roast the Vegetables

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly coat three baking sheets with olive oil.

2 1/2 pounds potatoes (I used three very large potatoes)
1 pound eggplant (I used two small to medium eggplants)
1 pound zucchini or yellow squash (I used two round yellow squashes a little bigger than tennis balls)
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt

Wash the eggplant and zucchini and trim the ends. Scrub and peel the potatoes. Cut the eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Place them in a large bowl. Cover the vegetables with olive oil and mix with your clean hands, coating each piece. Sprinkle liberally with salt and mix again to coat evenly. Spread the vegetables out on the three baking sheets. It is OK to overlap. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the vegetable are tender, not mushy, and some of the edges have browned. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool as you make the tomato sauce.

Soak 1/2 cup cashews in enough water to just cover. Set aside to use for the chickpea cashew cream.

Chunky Greek Tomato Sauce

2 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper
1 cup vegetable broth
Three generous T tomato paste
2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 28 oz. can Muir Glenn whole tomatoes(I used the ones with basil)
A generous pinch of cinnamon

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on medium high. Add the garlic first and hear it sizzle, then add the onion and salt. Sir frequently until the onions are soft, about five minutes. Add the vegetable broth, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, and cinnamon. Stir frequently until the liquid reduces to a thick sauce. Add the canned tomatoes one by one, breaking them apart with your hands as you put them into the pot. Pour in the canned juices as well. On high heat, stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to medium-low heat, put the lid on, and simmer for about ten minutes. Remove from heat. Add a generous pinch of cinnamon, stir, and set aside.

Chickpea Cashew Cream


1 15 oz. can chickpeas and liquid
2 T tahini (I used Joyva brand)
1 T olive oil
1 T nutritional yeast (optional)
3 T fresh lemon juice, seeds removed
1 small clove garlic
2 T hot water
A generous grating of nutmeg, or a pinch
1 tsp. salt
A dash white pepper
1/2 cup raw cashew that have been soaking, drained

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor (I used a Vita-Mix) and blend until very smooth. Set aside.

Assemble the Moussaka

Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Oil a 9x13 inch pan. Spoon sauce with a soup ladle to coat the bottom of the pan. Layer half of the potatoes, half of the zucchini, and half of the eggplant as evenly as you can. Ladle half of the remaining sauce over the vegetables. Layer the remaining vegetables on top. Spoon and spread out the rest of the sauce. Use a rubber spatula to evenly spread the chickpea cashew cream over the top. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of nutritional yeast. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the edges slightly browned. Cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve.


I played a little trick on you. To make this photograph look more impressive, I layered one piece of moussaka on top of another. Try it! Since this dish is so rich, I recommend serving it with a simple salad.

Let this recipe do double duty for you. Make a batch of the sauce for pasta. (I really love this Bionaturae brand from Italy. It is by far the best gluten-free pasta I've ever tasted.) Heat up some of the sauce, add some fresh spinach, and cook until wilted. Serve it over the pasta with a generous amount of crumbled feta cheese.

I'll fill you in on my future escapades. And now to the business of washing dishes....

The Last Tastes Of Summer

Intuitve cooking involves using whatever fresh ingredients you've already got on hand. Or perhaps you've just gone to the farmer's market with your Little Red Riding Hood basket and picked up fruits and veggies that are so vibrant, beautiful, and sweet smelling that they cry out to you "Take me home!" Using your senses of sight, touch, and smell and your good common sense as a guide is a surefire approach to creating a deliciously honest and remarkable meal. Its sheer simplicity and freshness is the wonder and the magic of such cooking. Of course your own loving energy is the most important ingredient of all.

A Tisket-a-Tasket, a pretty brimming basket, and a skip-along-back to the kitchen. Let's play!

I have on hand the last tastes of summer. Organic cute little plum tomatoes, green beans, cauliflower, fresh corn, scallions, onions, and blueberries. Oh yes and a wrapped soft oval blob of fresh mozzarella cheese. Yum!

My menu is improvised as I go along. Very Zen, wouldn't you say?...Tomato and fresh mozzarella salad, green beans almondine, oven roasted cauliflower with olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice, steamed corn on the cob, and jasmine fried rice with onions, scallions, and peas. By the way, the rice was left over from yesterday and with me being thrifty and economical, I just had to transform it into a new tasty dish. Also a little sweetness, a lemon blueberry cornbread. I made it gluten and casein free* but it can be modified any which way you please. In fact, experiment and invent to your heart's content.

I've been toying (again) with different gluten free flours and have come up with this mix which I use for cakes, pancakes and more.


Gluten Free Flour Mix #2

1 cup white rice flour
!/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup millet flour
2/3 cup potato starch
3 T cornstarch
2 T teff flour
3 tsp. xanthan gum

Mix ingredients with a spoon in a container that has a tight fitting lid to incorporate the flours. Then put the lid on the container and shake vigorously to ensure that all ingredients are well combined. Use as you would regular wheat flour in recipes.


Lemon Blueberry Cornbread

4 T ghee* or melted butter, melted and slightly cooled (or oil of your choice, I would try melted coconut oil)

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup gluten free flour (or regular wheat flour)
1 cup organic brown sugar
1 T polenta
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup Silk Vanilla soy milk (or milk of your choice)
1 T lemon juice
The zest of two lemons
2 large eggs

1 pint of fresh blueberries, washed, drained and stems removed (or two cups frozen blueberries, defrosted)

Adjust the oven rack to the center. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease and flour a large round pie plate or a 9 inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, polenta, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a glass liquid measuring cup add one cup of milk (of your choice), lemon juice, lemon zest, and two eggs, lightly beaten. Sir with a spoon to mix. It will curdle and that's good! Stir in the melted ghee or butter (or oil of your choice).

Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients in the bowl until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Pour the mixture into the greased and floured pan and bake for about 35 minutes. The top will become cracked and golden. If the top is still soft to touch and mushy, bake for another five minutes or until slightly firm to the touch. Careful not to burn yourself!

Cut the cornbread right in the pan after it has cooled a bit. It is delicious served warm. Some people, inclined towards decadence, slather it with butter.

*Let me mention that ghee is casein free (or low in casein). It is essentially clarified butter, with its whey (or most of its whey) removed. Ghee is not dairy free. I make my own ghee which is not really that difficult, and that is a topic for another entry.


My tasters act as if they have just won the lottery. Smiles from ear to ear. Second helpings all around. Some inner glowing and eye twinkling going on. And many thank yous.

"Would you like me to pack some food up for you to take home?" I ask.

And so it goes, that now, with the end of summer taste cravings satisfied, we can skip along and rightfully experience the wonders and delights of the approaching, blustery autumn. Yea!

Eat Your Greens!

When I'm craving my greens, I take notice that my body needs the dense nourishment of leafy vegetables. Spinach is loaded with Vitamins A,C,D and K, calcium, magnesium,folic acid and iron. Along with being a vitamin powerhouse, the phytochemicals in kale have been found to have a protective effect against breast, cervical and colon cancer. Kale, being high in sulphur, helps the body detox from other diseases too.

My Greek ancestors well into their eighties and nineties, while appearing somewhat shriveled from the hot sun like wrinkled prunes, had the agility of mountain goats trekking up those rocky, crumbly slopes in search of wild leaves and shoots. OK, I'm daydreaming, but I'm sure there is at least a kernel of truth to that.

The Mediterranean diet, the one patterned from the Island of Crete is credited for the longevity and health of its people. Liberal doses of fruity olive oil, barley rusks, beans and legumes, whole grains, small amounts and bits of cheese, meat and fish, thick whole milk yogurt, and an abundance of fruits and vegetables comprise this diet. Bitter greens in particular have healing properties for the body and when in season they wind up in the stew pot or a salad with olive oil, lemon juice and herbs. Wine in moderation, a drizzle of wild honey here and there and celebrations with lively Greek music and dancing keep people happy, fit and full of life. Oopa!

A small shot of liquorice flavored ouzo warms the throat and the body. When poured over ice the liquor turns cloudy. Oopa, Oopa...but I digress.(Watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding, then you'll understand).

Greens. Wild greens back in the day were not as squeaky clean as we are used to now. Small amounts of dirt and bacteria actually acted as medicine on the intestines. I'm guessing that they were used to a little crunch of grit and sand.

The religious fasting of the Greek Orthodox faith requires followers to eat vegetarian for long stretches at a time especially during Lent. Maybe this 'cleanse' contributes to longevity and health. I would bet on that, in fact.

Spinach and rice is the quintessential comfort food. It's what I enjoyed as a child while other children were eating their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I put my own spin on a marvelous recipe I found in Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian cookbook, with the addition of dark 'dinosaur' kale and raisins. The raisins plump up in the tart sauce, sweet bursts of flavor in unctuous, tender greens. The kale, considered a superfood, is a great chewy contrast to the soft spinach.

Spinach With Rice

1 big bunch fresh organic spinach, leaves and stems left whole
1 bunch organic dinosaur kale, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 pounds of spinach and kale in total, I prefer to use more spinach than kale)
6 scallions cut crosswise into fine rings all the way up
3 T extra virgin olive oil
Salt
3 rounded T white rice (I used jasmine but Italian risotto rice would work here too)
1 1/2 T dried dill
2 heaping T raisins
The juice of a lemon

Trim the spinach ends and soak leaves with stems in a big bowl of water. Wash in several changes of water to remove sand and dirt. Drain. Trim ends off kale, wash well and drain. Chop kale into shreds.

Pour 2 cups of water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add scallions, olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, rice, dill and raisins to the pot. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring regularly, for about 12 minutes, or until the rice is done and the liquid in the pot is reduced to a little thick sauce. Put in kale and allow to cook with the lid on for about five minutes. Remove lid, stir and add the spinach with another 1/2 tsp. of salt. Raise the heat and stir until the spinach wilts. Lower the heat to medium-low again, stir and cook for about five minutes. Add the lemon juice and a drizzle of more olive oil if desired.

This recipe can be adapted. Feel free to use other available greens like collards, Swiss chard, cabbage and so on. I prefer to use spinach in the mix because this is the flavor I crave from way back.

I serve the greens with a big pot of stewed gigande beans. Yum! A little feta cheese doesn't hurt either.

This is the kind of food that keeps me healthy and happy.

I'm On The Mountain!

I'm not OK, you're not OK, but that's OK. While tossing and turning in my pseudo sleep this quote by Elizabeth Kubler Ross comes to me. My body feeling massive and heavy, about the weight and size of an elephant, is holding on to the trivial and the mundane. Feeling stuck here with life's little problems and dramas, the bundle of bright multi colored feathers on my alter reminds me that I can transport and transmute. Oh I forgot that the breath can carry one far, far away. In this dream vision which could also be reality I am tightly holding the tail feathers of a majestic eagle flying high where the sun and sky meet to a place I've been before, the little village of Peguche, in Ecuador. It is the home of Incas. And also where sacred waters, waterfalls, rocks, plants, animals, insects and birds speak clearly when you really listen. If you can't understand all this just ask the Shaman for interpretation. 'Hey Shairy, come on out. You got some 'xplainin' to do.' There is no other place I would rather be right now than the sacred mountain Imbabura, where inside dwells a civilization of little people. I can hear and feel the vibration of their drums, reassuring like a steady heartbeat. I play my flute to Grandfather sun while perched on a large smooth rock on the mountain. Sound and light waves speak ecstatic in the universal language of the heart. Everything is music, color and love. We have a long conversation which sounds like a song, the whole content I cannot remember.

We want to love and be loved. We want to heal and be healed. We want to know ourselves and The One True Light within us and walk in That Light. We want to touch what is beyond form and what is beyond all wrongdoing and rightdoing. We want to forgive and know we already are forgiven. We want to be connected to everyone and every thing. 'You guys are soooo demanding.' As all our wants fall away we feel the sweet peace and harmony that exists now and through eternity. The song is a lullaby.

Hey, just stop, look, and listen. Take pause cause things are a changing and you don't want to miss it. Come meet me on the mountain.

And so, thank You for this lightness of being. I swear I didn't eat magic mushrooms!

And now I'm getting very sleepy...sweet dreams...

Serendipity

Early morning cooking. A fist full of lentils, some okra, some jasmine rice, some onions and garlic. A little sauteing action. Still enchanted with the subtle spiced flavor of Ethiopian Nit'ir Qibe, I twirl out my jar of magic butter, pirouette over to the stove and somehow choreograph a most unconventional breakfast. And knock knock, my friend drops by unexpectedly. Probably smelled the food. That happens. And on this particular lazy Saturday, we eat our buttered lentils, jasmine rice with scallions, okra in a light tomato sauce and lemony and sweet red cabbage while watching a DVD called Maha Sadhana, or 'Great Practice'. Sri Dharma Mittra presents jewels of yoga wisdom. It is a discourse of sharing his more than 50 years of practicing yoga and a life in service of self realization. 'He looks alot like Ricardo Montelban,' I think, but then I am struck by his radiating love. I am totally absorbed in his discussion of yoga philosophy and practice, and am amazed by his pretzel poses.

Later, a spur of the moment trip to Omega Institute. We duck into the bookstore just in time to avoid the torrential rain. After the cooling off storm, we explore the winding paths all shimmer and glitter. Dark evergreen trees, heavy and soft drop delicate crystals along the way. The spider's webs, crocheted fantasies illuminated by the rays of the late afternoon sunlight. A rainbow in a grassy clearing. The people stop and admire. The flowers greet us with with their sweet scents and cheery faces. The crisp crunch of the wood chips below foot. Art in nature. Surely the fairies must be hard at play here. I am fully expecting to meet up with them. Miniature masterpieces tucked here and there. On a tree stump in the cool shade a tuft of moss, a ringlet of small stones and a clover flower erect in the teeniest vase. Each stone step opens and closes into a new experience and vista as we make our way up through the forest to a wooden sanctuary poised on a hilltop. Little zen stone pilings are perched on a wall of a pond. These sacred artistic expressions compelled me to create a small sculpture as well. We rest on a wooden bench listening to the sound of trickling water. Bright orange koi swimming happily. 'Am I Alice? Is this Wonderland?' I ask as I notice the colors and sounds of all of nature intensifying around me.

I see the walking meditators, the spiritual journey men and women, the yogis and yoginis. Oh yes, there is Rodney Yee, Seane Corn, and Gurmugh, three of the yogis that I recognize from my DVDs at home.

I feel as if I've found the key to some lost kingdom. I remember what I have been longing for. The beauty and peace of art and nature.

Hungry again. The cafeteria has some decent, wholesome veg food including salad fixings, veggies and pasta dishes, even gluten free pasta. As I pour myself some cool water at the beverage station I feel a loving presence to my right. I look up to notice it is none other than Sri Darma Mittra, The yogi from the DVD this morning!

A day like this cannot be planned but divinely ordered. Serendipity!

Magic Butter

Somehow, I go off on a tangent and get lost on a new path of discovery. Ethiopian food! In my desire to create an African inspired meal for my Kenyan friends, this path of twists and turns leads me to Borders where I find Marcus Samuelson's glorious book 'The Soul Of A New Cuisine'. Useful, practical and visually stunning, this African cookbook would fit comfortably on my smallish coffee table.('Oh gosh, do I really need another cookbook? I think not.') Feverishly copying recipes on coffee stained tattered papers, I am determined to actually follow through and cook some African food. 'If I place my hands on this book can I absorb the soul and essence of this vast continent by osmosis?' I wonder.

Back to the kitchen laboratory to make a fragrant neon yellow spiced butter called Nit'ir Qibe. Onions, ginger, garlic, basil, oregano, cardamom, cumin and fenugreek are simmered in freshly made ghee, or clarified butter, along with turmeric for color. OK, ghee alone is already magical, but this stuff is magical to the twentieth power. This is sllllllllooooooooowwwwwwwwwww cookin'. This is a test of patience. This is a meditation practice. A sadhana. A labor of love. When the flavors are sufficiently extracted, the golden liquid is strained and poured into an impeccably clean jar. Use it instead of butter for sauteing. Or drizzle over your cooked veggies, rice and grain dishes, or your beans and lentils. It's a subtle spice perfumed flavor that doesn't knock you over the head with a sledge hammer. This butter will last for up to three months in the fridge. Call me crazy but I'm likin' this Nit'ir Qibe thing a lot. Love the color yellow.


Then on to the Berbere, an Ethiopian spice mixture with some likeness to garam masala, but loaded with paprika and hot red chili powder. The aromatic spices, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, fenugreek and allspice, along with onion and garlic powder, with the heat of red pepper will please the fire eaters among us. When I use this in small quantities, say a pinch here or there on onions sauteing or sprinkled on the rice pilaf the dish is suddenly exotic. Too much of this stuff however could be lethal, especially to the intestinally challenged.

Using these Ethiopian pantry staples, I make a tomato based lamb curry with coconut milk and gingery garlic black eyed peas with collard greens. All packed away in neat little containers and ready to go in fridge and freezer, my friends practically jump up and down with delight and just plain relief that they don't have to cook. Having an infant and a toddler when you work outside the home all day, that is more than understandable.



Slow cooking has its many rewards. It's the gift that keeps giving. A slice of the NOW, that's remembered and treasured. When I find myself wondering 'What the heck am I doing with my time?' I think of how happy I am when I'm lost in creativity. Then I stop thinking and just breathe. Onward.