Agave Nectar . . . found only in the Health Food Store so it must be healthy, right?

Wrong.

Read this article.

You might say, "Oh, some raw foods fanatic wrote that" until you look at this Wikipedia article. Now, I ain't saying that if Wikipedia has an article on it, then it must be true but . . . dang, Wikipedia has an article on it that basically says that this stuff is glorified high fructose corn syrup: "There is significant concern about the health effects of fructose, since Agave has a fructose content much higher than high-fructose corn syrup." That means we should stay far, far away.

Well, there goes another "natural" food that I am nixing from our pantry.

So annoying. Raw doesn't mean raw and natural never means natural.

And don't get me started on tomatoes. Next year, for sure, I am growing some tomatoes.

Kinky Gazpacho

Okay, I didn't get through In Defense of Food. It was a two-week loan from the library and was on hold for someone else so I couldn't renew it. Luckily, I had put another book on hold at the library and as soon as I had to return In Defense of Food, it was ready to be picked up. The name of the book is Kinky Gazpacho.

It's a memoir by Lori Tharps, who was also the co-author of Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America. The book got a little whiny at times as the author tried to reconcile the differences between the Spain of her imaginations and the real Spain especially as it related to the treatment, ideas and attitudes of Black people. But I was completely on-board as she struggled to figure out her identity as a Black person. She grew up in an area that was predominantly White and was never really confident in her Blackness especially when dealing with other Black people. As a first generation Nigerian born and raised in the states, that has been something I too have struggled with. If you speak English properly, enjoy reading and the Opera, well, then, you are not really Black. We know that's not true but I think it's something that many young, upwardly mobile, intelligent Black people face. What does it mean to be truly Black? Ms. Tharps story is inspirational in that she finds her own way to be authentically Black. I felt like she glossed over some things (like her children's birth and her practice of the Ba'hai faith) but these, I suppose, were not the focus of her book. She is, however, refreshingly honest about herself and her feelings/emotions in her page-turning memoir. I think it's that candor that makes you want to continue reading because there is nothing overly exciting going on in the book. It's her story. And it's just life. The ups. The downs. And the in-betweens.

This book was a nice, easy, lightweight coming-of-age story. Great summer reading.

An old friend got married today

Actually, he was my first boyfriend, a really good guy and I'm just so happy for him and his new (beautiful, I must say) wife.

The wedding ceremony was very lovely in it's simplicity. It was quick and to the point but I loved it. It also made me sad and a little teary eyed. I guess I didn't realize just how much I would have loved to have a formal wedding. Yeah, the court house thing was cool and beautiful, in a "I love you so much I just have to be with you for real right now" kind of way but I feel cheated. It felt cheap--a bargain basement, clearance sale, everything-must-go wedding. We had always planned on doing a 10-year vow renewal ceremony but I don't feel like it anymore. I don't think there's any way to re-capture all that about-to-be newlywed energy. That energy is dewy fresh and full of hope at the possibility of what could be and it overflows with romance and passion. What me and the hubby have got going now is warm and comfortable and syrupy sweet but the energy is not so energetic. It's just real. We've got kids, for goodness sake and we usually pass out from exhaustion at the end of the day. We squeeze out moments to have time to ourselves and often don't get it. The 10-year vow renewal would be nice but it just wouldn't be the same. It's just not the same.

I guess you could say I made my bed so now I must lay in it. I say at the time I thought I wanted my bed made with flannel sheets. Now I realize I wouldn't have minded an upgrade to satin. :p

Finally . . . two FO's

I'm so happy to say that I've finally finished two knitting projects I'd been working on. Both are for Z2, who, unfortunately, has been dealing with some kind of rash. He's been miserable for the past two days but he's coming around.

Anyway, I'm quite pleased with both completed projects. First is the Baby Surprise Jacket:
Specs:
Started: 05/19/08
Completed: 06/08/08
Yarn used: Cascade 220 Hunter Green
Needles used: Size 9 24" circulars (Boye)
Purchased wood buttons at local fabric store
Cast on using provisional cast on for sleeve portions
Cast off using a crochet cast off and bordered with crab stitch
Challenges: Initially, the counting threw me off but once I understood what I was doing, it went much more smoothly. As always, seaming was a pain and I wish it could have been neater. Some small issues with the sleeve extension but otherwise . . . it was all good.
Status: Very Pleased

And secondly, just a simple wool soaker:
I used Cascade 220 again with some leftover green wool from some other project for the drawstring. It's a size medium. Rolled cuff legs. Quick, easy, and functional.
---------

I made General Tao's Tofu on Thursday. I know I've made this before but it's been quite a while--I don't even think I was married yet. I added green and red peppers and peanuts and served over brown rice. It was a total hit--such a hit, in fact, that we had it again tonight! The sauce for this dish is really delicious and you can really pack in a lot of veggies because it is so tasty. So tonight I lightly steamed a whole heap of broccoli and peppers. Everyone enjoyed.

No real good title . . . but lots of random topics

Okay, so before I went to bed last night I started to feel achy. I took some vitamin C to try to ward off what was coming but it hurt my stomach something awful. This morning I woke up feeling just terrible. I still managed to boil the the black eyed peas to make the savory sausage patties for breakfast and to bake the Like Starbucks Blueberry Scones (except I subbed raisins). I was even able to make . . . drum roll please . . . peanut butter chocolate chip cookies! I have been trying to get around to making these cookies for over a month now. I wanted to put them in a package I'm sending to one of my closest friends for her Earthlight (birthday), which was well over a month ago. Disappointing, though, because after I did all that, I felt awful. Pain took over. I felt it in my bones and my head was throbbing. I guess I did a bit too much. I tried to lay down but that did not alleviate anything and since kids don't get the concept of "mommy's sick", I had to suck it up and take two Advil. That helped me get through the day. I can feel it coming back on me right now though. I'm pretty sure this is the same bug Z1 was down with the other day. Luckily, Z2 is breastfed and most likely will not come down with this. Ah! The wonders of breastmilk. Breastmilk, breastmilk, how I love thee, let me count the ways . . . Anyway, I digress. I thought I'd share the recipe for the peanut butter cookies. I don't remember where I originally got the recipe from but these are a wholesome tasting, really delicious cookie especially if you love peanut butter. It's got oats. It's got peanut butter. It's got maple syrup. And to push it over the top, folks, I add vegan chocolate chips. Yum!
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/2 cups finely ground oats or oat flour
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup natural peanut butter
2/3 cup. non-hydrogenated margarine
2 tbsp. water
1/2 c maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup granulated cane juice

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, sift together ground oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat together non-hydrogenated margarine and sugar. Add peanut butter, water, maple syrup and vanilla and continue to beat until well incorporated. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until everything just comes together.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop batter one tablespoon at a time onto sheet. Make the traditional criss-cross pattern with a fork. Bake about 10-12 mins. until lightly browned. Cool on cooling racks.

Feel free to add vegan chocolate chips. Doing that sets these cookies off!

In other news, I am about 90% done with the Baby Surprise Jacket and it is turning out so well. I can't wait to post a picture when it's done. I'm also knitting another wool soaker for Z2--nothing fancy; just functional. I will post a picture of that as well.

I am a serious bibliophile. I.love.books. Always have, always will. I pray my children will develop a love of books the way I love books. I took a moment the other day to organize the children's book case and am quite proud of the little collection I have built for them. I have acquired books mainly at the thrift store and at library book sales. I am pretty sure I have not yet broken the $100 mark when it comes to buying books but their library is really quite extensive, in my opinion, at least as far as children's libraries go. We still go to the public library weekly but the boys have enough books on enough subjects that we really wouldn't feel too pinched if we missed a week or two. This is so pleasing to me especially since I'm 99% sure we will be homeschooling. I think good books will provide a solid foundation for some well-rounded home education. Anyway, I took a a shot of the freshly organized bookshelf. It rarely, rarely looks this way, thanks to Z1's penchant for pulling all the books out of the bookshelf onto the floor. For no particular reason except that he seems to love the motion.

Z1 is doing well at learning to use the toilet. We are still working on "number 2's". A sistren of mine gave me a head's up about boys and poop, i.e., they are not always willing to do it in the toilet. Z1 seems to have a serious aversion to doing it in the toilet. Patience. Patience. And more patience. Still, it is way better washing out undies than dealing with smashed grown man poop diapers. LoL. TMI? Well . . . so goes the life of a mom: always too much information and way too involved knowledge of bowel movements. I'm still celebrating, though, because my big baby boy is using the toilet. We even went to Whole Foods the other day and he didn't have one miss. Yay!!!

How was that for a super long post? :)

I'm reading another book . . .

I know, I know. Where the heck am I finding time to read? Well, today I was reading with Z2 on my back, rocking him to sleep walking around the house trying hard to get through just one more chapter.

I'm reading In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan who is also the author of The Omnivore's Dilemma (an excellent read, by the way). In Defense of Food is a book I think everyone should take a moment to read. It discusses the "over-scientification" of eating and enjoins us to "Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants". In other words, get back to the root. Food is not the sum of its parts (vitamins and minerals) as science would have you believe. You can't substitute real food for foods created in the laboratory. Eating, as with everything else, should be a conscious endeavor. We ought to be thinking (but not too hard because it's just not that hard) and asking questions about what we put into our bodies. It's not rocket science. It should be a joyous (not stressful) experience. You and I both can figure it out. Eating is supposed to be fun.

The book is well-researched, witty and accessible, if not wordy at times. Well, you all know I don't mind wordiness in the least. ;) I'm enjoying it immensely.

Consciously Rejecting the "Get More Stuff" Mentality

Get more. Get more. Get more.

This is the message that we are bombarded with every day. There is always something new, something fresh, something "revolutionary" to get. It never ends. It doesn't slow down. The push for more seems to intensify every day.

I found a mini-documentary of YouTube called The Story of Stuff (this is a link to the playlist I made of all 6 parts of the piece). The were two things that struck me the most and that I completely agree with.

1. Planned and Perceived Obsoleteness
In 2005, just before Z1 was born, we bought a digital camera. It was a good buy we thought. We had countless rolls of undeveloped film. We really couldn't even say what was on these rolls of film and we certainly didn't want to pay money to develop them and end up with pictures of random blobs, shadows and white flashes. So we bought a re-furbished Kodak 5MP camera. It's 2008. Our camera is pretty much obsolete technologically speaking because currently you can get a 7 or 8 MP camera that does way more nifty things for much less than what we paid for ours. I mean, that's cool but I'm not a photographer. I just need a camera to pictorially document and keep track of my life. Just because the technology has improved so drastically doesn't mean I need to run out and get a new camera. Except for the fact that now, after owning my camera for 3 years, it has started to act funny. Buttons don't always work. Transferring pictures to the computer requires me holding the USB cable firmly in place. The program the camera works with usually encounters errors. This is planned obsoleteness. The camera is fat. It is bulky and doofy looking compared to newer cameras. I don't have the option of charging i it and it eats batteries and has a small viewing window and very little picture taking options. This would be perceived obsoleteness. Without consciously rejecting the "Get More Stuff" mentality, I would be in the market for a new camera. But the camera works. And I'm going to rock it till the wheels fall off. Happy to hold USB cables firmly in place. ;)

2. Tying up one's self worth in stuff
I think this is the biggest issue we face living in our society. The more stuff you have, the more worthwhile you are. And it's not just about having "stuff". The "stuff" must be the newest funky freshness available. It's not just sneakers anymore. The media feeds you the line that you just have to keep up. How will you look if you don't have the latest, greatest thing? Because so many people tie up their self worth and rest their identity in what they have and what they get, it's crucial to keep on getting. It makes people feel better, feel like they are worth more because deep inside, it's a nagging question we all need an answer to. What am I worth?? Am I worth anything at all? When you know your worth, you don't need to prove it. Consciously rejecting the "Get More Stuff" mentality is an affirmation of the knowledge of your self-worth as well as a revolutionary mindset that puts you squarely outside of the general way of thinking and being. You learn how to make what you have work. You learn to let go of things to clear your space and mind. You determine your needs and become very clear about them. When you do buy things, you don't buy on impulse. You research. You meditate. You *think*. Because you know you won't be buying again any time soon. You buy quality. You buy things you can use and re-use. You eschew the idea of "disposable" because you realize that nothing is actually disposable.

Hmmm . . . just my thoughts and ramblings for today. I'll be taking a trip to the thrift store to donate so more stuff. I'll be looking around in the thrift store because I love to. I won't be buying anything though (unless they happen to have an Omega 8005 juicer!). :) Actually, I could use some short sleeve blouses . . . still waiting on this baby weight to drop off. LoL.

It's a Sh*tty Job (Literally!) but someone's got to do it . . .

Teaching Z1 to use the toilet, that is. I'm doing it cold turkey, folks. He's going COMMANDO. I started last Friday. Three days into it and he doesn't seem any closer to grasping the concept. We've had plenty of misses, ya'll. I mean, plenty of misses. Misses of all kinds, if you catch my drift. Misses he's actually stepped in. Misses that make me wonder if I know what the hell I'm doing. But I would rather keep taking him to the toilet every 30 mins. and cleaning up misses than change any more "grown man poop" diapers. I am holding on to the hope that in 2 to 3 weeks, he will have mastered using the toilet. I'm bribing--I mean, giving incentives with Spiderman briefs, ya'll. "Hey Z1, if you use the toilet, you get to wear these!" How desperate do I sound?

Once Z1 has learned to use the toilet, I'm going to start natural infant hygiene (elimination communication or EC) with Z2. No way on God's green earth will Z2 be in diapers till he's almost three. You know, I believe EC is the most eco-friendly and baby-friendly way of dealing with what is a human being's natural elimination processes. Sure I use cloth diapers but it takes water and energy to wash them and the older a child gets, the more disgusting and stinky diaper changes get. It bothers me that my kids sit/have sat in diapers going on themselves. I'm the first to admit that diapers are a modern day convenience that I'm sometimes grateful for. I'm swift to change a soiled diaper--even after one wet. It saddens me how comfortable Z1 is eliminating on himself so I want to get Z2 out of diapers as soon as possible.

The Official Unofficial Start of Summer!

We went out to Brooklyn today for the BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) Street Festival. This is our second year going and it has become our family's official unofficial summer kick-off event. Last year, I was pregnant with Z2. (This year, I played myself once again and tried to rock the Peg Perego Double Stroller I blogged about before. I am now totally convinced that the stroller must go. I have to make time to take pictures so I can put it on Craig's list and see how much I can get for it. If no one buys it, I'm freecycling it. If no one wants it then, I have to find out where I can donate it.) Anyway . . . we had a fabulous time, as usual. It's always a joy to see beautiful Black people being warm, friendly and loving towards each other. I love to see all the talented and industrious folks selling their wares and even though I rarely see anything new anymore (I've been going to street festivals in NY for years now), I never tire of going. This year, I did find something new though: hand-blended specialty teas made by a company called Not Just Tea. These teas are simply delicious and rival my favorite Numi teas. And since it's a Black owned company, it's a pleasure, no a duty of mine to support it!

If you know me, you know I'm one of the pickiest eaters there are. At the street festival last year, in a fit of pregnancy induced hunger, I bought an $8 vegetarian plate from one of the vendors. It was gross. Just gross. This year, I decided to make Jamaican "Beef" Patties. For events that require us to be out all day, patties are a great option because they're very portable, taste good even if they're not piping hot, and Z1 *adores* them and can eat 2 or 3 in one sitting. Now, we don't eat processed soy on a regular basis at all (I don't think it's the best for us) but these patties taste so authentic using Lightlife Smart Round that I allow it once or twice a year.

Picture:



















Recipe:

PASTRY
2 c unbleached all-purpose white flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. Jamaican curry powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) non-hydrogenated vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
1/3 cup really cold water

Sift together the flour, salt and curry powder in a large bowl. Cut in the margarine. Add the water and and mix until the dough comes together. (I do this in the Kitchenaid). You may need to add a tbsp or so of water if you find that it's not coming together--be patient though. Lightly flour your rolling surface and rolling pin and roll out the dough until it's about 1/8" thick. Cut out circles 8" in diameter.

"BEEF" FILLING
2 tbsp. non-hydrogenated vegan margarine (Again, I use Earth Balance
half of a large yellow onion or one small yellow onion, chopped fine
1/2 of one Scotch bonnet pepper (leave the seeds for more fire), chopped fine
One 12 oz. package Lightlife Smart Round
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. Jamaican curry powder
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1/2 cup vegetable stock

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a heavy bottomed skilled (I use cast-iron), saute the onion and Scotch bonnet pepper until the onions are translucent. Add the spices and continue to saute until they are fragrant. Add the Smart Round and brown it about 5 mins. Add the vegetable stock and stir until it is absorbed (but not dry). You mixture should be moist but not watery. Place 2-3 tbsp. of your mixture into each dough circle and fold the circle in half. Seal the edges. You can use a fork to pinch the edges closed and for a decorative element.

Bake for 30 mins. till the pastry is golden brown.

Yum!!!~~

I'm not sure if Z1 loves the patties using the Smart Round of if he just loves the patty concept (no one loves bread more than my Z1). So . . . I'm going to try to fill the patties with a spicy, steamed cabbage and kale (or calalloo) or with seitan and see if he goes for it.

The absolute best homemade veggie burger

I made tonight. Didn't take pictures though! I suck at remembering to take pics. But everyone loved them. I have to say, they were really good and I'm my toughest critic. They were filling and spicy and most importantly, they were firm--I mean firm enough where you could chop them up and put over a salad for lunch. Which is probably why my toddler ate his whole burger. I've been searching for *the* perfect black bean veggie burger and, folks, I think we have a winner. My recipe is a hybrid of two recipes: this one and that one, which were excellent starting points. The recipe makes 6 patties. We have two left. Maybe we'll have burgers for lunch tomorrow and I'll get a picture.

We had the burgers on homemade bread (which I cut circles out of to make "buns") with a simple salad and sweet potato fries . . . seriously delicious.

Spicy Black Bean Burgers
Makes 6 patties

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tbsp. olive oil
¾ cup walnuts
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed or 1 cup cooked black beans
¼ cup medium salsa
¼ cup frozen corn
¾ cup bread crumbs
1 egg replacer (I use Ener-G egg replacer)
Salt and pepper to taste

Topping
1-2 large mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced finely
¼ cup onions, diced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a heavy bottom pan, sauté the diced onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic and spices and continue to sauté until fragrant being careful not to burn the garlic. Remove this mixture with a slotted spoon and reserve in a bowl. This will leave a spicy, red olive oil in the pan. You will use this later to make the topping.

In the food processor, pulse the walnuts until they reach a coarse chop—don’t over pulse. Add the black beans, salsa, corn, bread crumbs and sautéed onions and egg replacer. Turn the food processor on and run it till the mixture is paste. Taste it and add salt and pepper till it tastes right to you. Process to incorporate. Let mixture sit for 5-10 minutes.

Spray or brush a cookie sheet with olive oil. Form mixture into six patties and place on cookie sheet. Spray or brush tops of patties with olive oil.

Bake for 15 minutes. Flip them once and bake for 5 minutes more.

Now for the topping. In the same pan and oil you used before, sauté the onions, mushrooms and garlic just until the onions are translucent.

Once the burgers are done, serve on warmed burger buns or in pita bread or by themselves. Spoon some of the topping onto the top of the burgers. Enjoy with sweet potato or zucchini fries.

I cast on

For the baby surprise jacket today. Actually, I cast on twice. I'm using a provisional cast on for the sleeve portions of the jacket so that I can extend the sleeves later. First off, casting on this way had eluded me until I found that particular site. Anytime directions involve a crochet hook, I'm always more comfortable so it was rather easy to cast on. Then I had to figure out how to cast on the body section (I usually do a long tail cast on). I decided to do a cable cast on, which worked well. Well, I got confused and ended up with a total of 156 stitches when I was supposed to have 160. And I forgot to place my markers. I thought about just increasing the stitches in the appropriate sections since it was fairly labor intensive to cast on in the first place. In the end, I decided to frog it and do it again. No small feat especially with an almost 3 year old and 5 month old. But, now I am well on my way and I can't wait to see what this turns out like even though my markers are wonky.

As for DH's cotton hat with the Manos del Uruaguay Stria (cotton yarn), I think the whole thing was a disaster. The yarn is plied and not worsted--I didn't realize that this wouldn't really suit the purpose, i.e., it needs to be a strong, durable type of yarn. And it's not. I popped a few stitches just trying to get it on my head and my head is smaller than DH's. Cotton yarn does not give at all but at least usually you can rely on its strength. Not in this case. And this was pretty pricey yarn. At least the color is pretty. Luckily, DH found a black cotton net type hat I made out of crochet cotton (bedspread weight) a while back. He modified the brim by changing it from a drawstring to 2 inches of single crochet with a row of crab stitch to finish it off. And it hold his hair and he seems to love it now. And since it was a net pattern I used, it's light and airy--perfect for summer.

Chocolate Creme Pie

I finally got around to making a chocolate creme pie. I bought the silken tofu, chocolate chips and graham crackers over two weeks ago. So, I made it today and it was so rich and decadent as usual--hard to believe it's tofu! So here's the recipe, made extremely easy if you have a food processor.

Graham Cracker Crust
About 15 graham crackers
2 tbsp. Earth Balance or vegetable oil
1 tbsp. liquid sweetener (I used maple syrup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse all together until it comes together. Press into a pie dish. Bake for 10 mins. Let cool.

Chocolate Creme Filling
1 package silken tofu
1/2 bag vegan chocolate chips (or more to taste--I use 1/2 bag of semi-sweet chips)
1 tbsp. good quality alcohol-free vanilla flavoring (I get mine at Trader Joe's)

Melt the chocolate chips using a double boiler. Blend the tofu, melted chocolate chips and vanilla in a food processor or blender. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust. Chill in the fridge for a few hours (minimum 2 or as long as you can keep your family and friends away from the absolutely fabulous dessert).

You can dress this up by shaving chocolate curly cues on top or grating chocolate on top or sprinkling on coconut flakes. You can also crush up vegan Oreo type cookies on type. During the holiday season, Trader Joe's makes a minty Oreo-type cookie that's vegan. This is such an easy dessert to make but with great results.

Ta-da!!!
The day after . . .

It is sooooo good!

You spent how much on gas?!?

$52. And I was at 1/8th tank. We already drive to very few places. I think we may be driving even less. I wonder where the cap is on gas prices. I wonder how much we will have to modify our lives. I wonder if this will be the stimuli we need to find alternative, renewable energy sources. I wonder how folks with Hummers are doing it.

Aunt Flo is back . . .

I saw the return of my menses today. I had mixed emotions about it. On the one hand, I'm happy to know that I'm fertile again but on the other hand, I've got enough on my plate. One of the perks of exclusively breastfeeding is supposed to be that it delays when you get AF back but it seems that mine always returns 4 to 5 months postpartum. I have girlfriends whose kids are 13 and 14 months and no sign of AF. I guess I lucked out in that department. And so birth control/delaying my next pregnancy takes on a more serious tone. I've considered the Paraguard but honestly, the idea of having a metal thing inside me really skeeves me out. I would never do anything hormonal. With a small child, it's difficult to track my basal temperatures accurately and I know from experience that not sleeping enough makes Natural Family Planning more useful for getting pregnant than avoiding it. So, while I'm kind of glad it's back, it's not all that exciting. Add to that the fact that I'm feeling supremely bitchy and, well, there it is.

New Music

We purchased Tarrus Riley's new album Parables and it is fabulous. I haven't had an album that I keep playing over and over and over in a really long time. It feels nice. His voice is so smooth and his lyrics are tight. So we bought the album and I burned a CD for the car and I put it on the I-pod--wherever I go, I am listening to Parables. My favorite tracks are Beware, Microchip, Parables, She's Royal, Lion Paw and System Set. Great album!