Kitchen Ranch

Yoga in School and a Recipe for Carrot Muffins

While the kids were in school, Beckett and I made these spiced carrot muffins.  We dropped a chunk of chocolate into the middle of each muffin (just for fun).  

When Pixel walked into the kitchen to grab her fourth muffin, she was singing, "So Hum, So Hum, So Hum, So Hum..."  Pixel has a lovely singing voice so I told her so.  I asked where she learned that tune.  She mentioned that she learned it in Yoga class (the kids do yoga at school three mornings a week).  While yoga is in Spanish, elements of traditional yoga, such as chanting, are worked in.  She then informed me that "So Hum" means: I am grateful for who I am.

I too am grateful for who is she is.  I am also grateful that the kids are attending a school that encourages the students to be grateful for who they are.  

In regards to yoga in school, this Encinitas news story recently came to my attention: Parents Demand Removal of School Yoga Class.  

Then I told her she could not have that fourth muffin.

Happy

Usually I am pretty late when it comes to movie and documentary discoveries so maybe this is old news.  Last night Rich and I enjoyed the documentary Happy.  I recommend it, now available on Netflix watch instant.

Happy takes a close look at communities that enjoy long life expectancies as well as contrasting communities with lower life expectancies and high suicide rates.  The film is in line with a book I have probably mentioned before called The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest.

The documentary is very apropo because the topic of happiness has been an ongoing discussion around our table for a few months now. We made an exit from our (happy) life in Southern California and left it all behind to live abroad.  In doing so, a lot of questions have surfaced.  What did we love about Southern California?  What was missing from our daily life?  What stresses do we feel oppressed us without even realizing it?  Did we really spend our time in a manner that nourished us as individuals and as a family? Is home a place and a feeling?

And many more questions.  Our feathers have become ruffled, the conversation continues.

Ikarian Diet

Rich, to whom I am married, sent me a link to the following NY Times article, The Island Where People Forget to Die. The article is a fascinating account of life on the Greek island Ikaria in which a large portion of its population lives well into their 100s. Just a few miles away from Ikaria on another Greek island, the life spans are similar to that of average western world life span. 

Read the article, it is fascinating.  If that brief is not enough to pull you in, look at this darling man that is 97 years old:

Don't you want to know more about him?

Further, my awesome cousin alerted me to a few recipes that are traditional on the island Ikaria such as bean stew or pumpkin or winter squash pie. 

Here is to a long and joyful life.

Photo credits: New York Times

 

Bit O' Australian Culture for Ya

A recommendation by the lovely Miss Desi (Thanks again!).  The film is a true tale of dog hero and ledgend- superb watch for the whole family.

The 'fab read' as it has been described many times to me- Shantaram: A Novel. This is an autobiography weighing in at nearly 1000 pages and written by a former heroin addict and armed robberer-one of Australia's most wanted men. He breaks free from prison and heads to India to hide out with a new identity. While in India experiences such a tranformation and turns out to be a ...I won't spoil it.... It IS a fab read.

On my own to-read list: The Slap: A Novel . This book, the fourth by Australian writer Christos Tsiolks, takes place at a middle class BBQ one afternoon. One of the guests slaps a child (not his own) who is acting out against another child. The story is told and retold from the perspective of everyone at the BBQ. The book was such a hit that it inspired a TV drama (which I will wait for until I have finished the book). 

Long Airplane Rides with Children...

Soon, we will be flying to Australia.....with 3 children (aged 9,5,2).  For me, long flights are challenging to begin with. Aside from the boredom factor I resent the fact that I cannot take a water bottle on the plane and when I ask for water the stewardess hands me about a gulps worth of water. 

She or he does not know that I could probably down a gallon of water for every 5 hours on a plane....

Our flight is a 10 1/2 hour night flight from Los Angeles to Fiji. There we rest for two days and carry on to Australia with a 4 hour morning flight to Brisbane. I know the kids will sleep through the night flight uninterrupted (Right?! Think positive for me). While the kids sleep and I cannot sleep because I am so parched.... I plan to watch an entire season of Freaks and Geeks on the computer (How did I miss that show and why was it cancelled after 1 season???).

It is the 4 hour morning flight that I have packed and prepared for. Aside from games on my phone, movies on the computer and a stack of moleskin notebooks..... Here are some of my plans:   

This book is available from Amazon and is superb... I cannot reccomend it enough if you have a little lady you are traveling with...

My awesome cousin sent me a care package of bits and pieces to surprise the kids with.... coloring books, pens, handy wipes.... a gold mine!

 

The boys love cars and these always deliver... they are available at Barnes and Noble Bookstore.

Target has this great tape that does not stick like tape but rather sticks like painters tape and is easily removed. If I know my kids...they will tape "roads" all over their airplane trays and then drive their cars over the roads for a large chunk of time.

For landing.... to avoid any ear issues...Lollipops galore from Trader Joes. 

Kittens!

This gorgeous mama had kittens a few weeks ago. She is such. a . good. mama.

And these kittens are so delightful. Leaving them makes us all feel very very sad.... Finding a great home for them is now #1 on our to-do.

Here are a few pics of them in all of their kitten cuteness:

Djibouti and The Keeper

Djabouti's Flag

Back in December, one of my best girls Kirstin came around for dinner and cards. She brought along her friend Christine who was visiting from Djibouti where she works at an embassy. Following, "Hello"...I asked, "Where IS Djabouti??"

Djibouti (pronounced Ja-Booty) is a small country adjacent to Ethiopia.

Djabouti, aside from having a fun name to say, is not on Christine's recommended places to visit list. 

Kirstin handed me a Christmas present and announced that it was a gift I would love. Christine agreed. I unfolded the small package and held in my hands a curious item: A cup made of gum rubber called the Keeper. 

They were right, I do love it. Am I the last to know about this amazing invention?

In case you don't know-the Keeper replaces the need for tampons and/or pads.  

A few interesting facts taken from the Keeper website:

• Plastic tampon applicators from sewage outfalls are one of the most common forms of trash on beaches.
• Over 12 BILLION pads and tampons are USED ONCE and disposed of annually, adding to environmental pollution.
• For building owners, pads and tampons that are flushed down the toilet are the most common cause of plumbing problems.

I find it so liberating to not waste unnecessarily, to consume throw away goods and to simplify my life. 

Homemade Deodorant

I admit that I am not the best groomer. I lost my razor almost 20 years ago while backpacking in India and have never bothered to shave since. I wash my hair (occasionally) with baking soda and apple cider vinegar.

Pretty and good smelling beauty products make their way into my bathroom only to sit pondering their purpose.... I aspire to use them.

I really am not that much of a dirty hippie- I just don't think about it or have time for this type of business in my days...  

All that being said, I think I found the perfect deodorant recipe (recipe credit HERE)

• 1/2 C Cornstarch
• 1/2 C Baking Soda
• 10 drops essential tea tree oil

MIX....smells great, feels good.....EASY to make and while applying a coat of mascara may be out of the question, I do have time to douse a bit of powder.

Goings Ons......

Hope your Valentines Day was spectacular and filled with heaps of love and chocolate.  We had our annual dinner- This year's menu was French with a North African influence.

We enjoyed: Socca, Cous Cous with Roasted Carrots, Cheese and more cheese, Roasted Beets, Sprouted green salad (more on sprouts soon) and mountains of chocolate!

This tradition of a fancy pants dinner complete with decor has been going on for 5 years.... here is a snapshot from 2009 Valentines Day -I hope to post a few photos of last night's dinner soon. Until then, here are some goings ons as of late: 

Cheese.

 

4 layer Birthday cake..... because February offers up a birthday (Recipe Here)

We have been taco and burrito crazy as of late.... tempeh and kale seems to be high the list of favorites

Another (Not very pretty but tasty) cake was made for no reason... and I surprised the kids (look at their faces-ha!)

Starting a nonprofit with this talented and inspirational girl...see: Community Wings .....mosaics coming to your neighborhood soon! (Find Kirstin's mosaic site here and her awesome food blog Veggie Voyager)

This rascal making more messes than I can keep up with..... better go clean one up now.

Y'all Lettin Us Down Paula Deen!

I don't own a tv. When we travel, I do love to click on the tv and watch Food Network with the kids. Cooking shows are a family past time when we are in a hotel. Paula Deen has always been one of our favorites to watch and imitate (although we rarely, if ever, make her food recipes).

I am so disappointed with how she has handled/reacted to her diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes... Paula Deen has apparently not addressed the issue of her weight, diet and lack of exercise but rather chosen to become the front person and spokeswoman for a drug called  Victoza^®.

As an important celebrity for middle America, her message of “Eat whatever you want, as long as you take your pill…” is incredibly irresponsible.  

More on this at one of my Favorite Blogs Food Politics.

You are what you eat, Ya'Hear?