his groove! the rhythm in which he lives his life.

time to crack those knuckles and write a bit about what has been going on recently.  all and all, i’ve been working a lot these last three weeks in order to maximize my resources for california.  so it’s either been working at my dad’s place or substitute teaching.  the former has little interest value, though i’m still working to perfect the trebuchet and the garden is coming along nicely.  i’ve also started welding – poorly as of right now, but i try to practice when i remember to.  so that’s exciting.

as for subbing, it was a good run.  but as quickly as i started, i’m finished.  this coming week is spring break for noblesville schools and the week after is my planned departure via rideshare or greyhound.  i never accomplished my subbing goal.  i really wanted to sub at all levels, kindergarten to high school.  i only subbed at the intermediate school (5th and 6th) and the middle school (8th).  by far, 5th and 6th graders were a solid pain to sub for.  i had to walk them everywhere, pull lunch-recess-bus duty, and yell at kids way too much.  being ten/eleven must to be most socially awkward stage.  there was constant talking, crying, attempted hair cutting, boyfriend-girlfriend squawks, and inability to reassure me that they could wait to go to the bathroom and not pee their pants.  but i still had fun.  it was awesome to hang out with kids that were really interesting people.  we talked about where i have traveled and what 6th grade was like for me when i was in their shoes.  we played some solid heads up seven up – pulled pranks on other teachers – and relaxed for a few extra minutes of recess.  however, 8th grade was awesome.  no baby-sitting.  no lining up.  no teaching of multiple subjects.  i guess i liked being able to hang out with kids and pass on the knowledge that everything before high school is pretty trivial and shit only gets better once you’re free.

in between the work has been a trip to columbus (not too bad of a town if you’re visiting – i dunno about actually living there), st. patty’s day, and the gun and knife show.  the gun and knife show was insane.  i was amazed as the fact that i could walk into a building carrying an assault rifle, hand it to a police officer to check out, and then waltz around with hundreds of other idiots packing equally as much heat.  amazing.  eric and i only made it through about a quarter before i decided it was lame.  i don’t think i’d own a gun ever – the exception being if i lived way out in the country and needed a bit of protection from animals (humans included).  the only other motivation was the fact that there are so many heavily armed and deeply ignorant people out there.  i’m totally committed to living on a self-sustaining farm in the next ten years.  so when shit changes, i’ll glide on smoothly.  however, it is scary as hell to know that if massive changes occur, there is a huge part of the population that has a lot of guns and probably no qualms about taking what is mine.  but it’s a vicious cycle – i buy one, you buy one, i buy one more, you buy one more.  it was a sobering experience to say the least.

but i’m shoving off soon for the left coast.  i have two ride shares that are options right now.  both will drop me in denver in time for the antarctica job fair.  or i could just take a non-stop greyhound for $68.00.  the first would provide a more unique drive experience – tangent routes, interesting conversations, etc.  but it could be a bit more anxious if i’m bringing my computer.  the second would be safer, more direct, and probably cheaper.  but it would be murder to sit on a bus that will most likely take boring roads.  thoughts?

every morning…

so when i was in wisconsin, i bought a gym membership and it was totally worth it. i had access to a pool, a hot tub, a sauna, racquetball courts, and a free trainer. i found that the more that i worked out, the more that i ate and the more protein crave i encountered. makes sense, yeah? so i solved the problem via smoothies with brown rice protein. they were simple: o.j., bananas, soy milk, and rice protein. not pretty, but it got the job done.

skip to california. at ashley’s dad’s place, i had a green drink. this involved: kale, almonds, green apples, and flax (probably more things, but i wasn’t really paying attention). i do remember feeling awesome all day after i had one. so now that i’m back home and in a rhythm, i can go to the gym (with a free pass via an old friend!) again and have found myself looking for a way to eat well and get protein. i find myself working out four times a week and climbing the days in between (well, in a perfect world…). so here is the drink i have been making every morning – i love it.

• 1/2 avocado
• 1 apple, sliced
• 1 banana
• 1 stem kale, chopped
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 cups apple juice
• 1 cup soymilk or soy yogurt
• 2 tablespoons cold-pressed flax oil
• 1/3 cup raw walnuts
• 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 4 tablespoons brown rice protein

this will make a lot of smoothie so think about storing it for enjoyment throughout the day. i have a glass and put the rest in a metal canteen to drink at work. i change the proportions every time based on what is available (i.e. i just made up the proportions for this post). unless you have a bad-ass vita-mix blender, you’ll have to adjust the liquid so that a regular blender can handle it. i use a really basic blender and it handles it just fine – as long as i add more liquid to loosen it up. if it binds, you can do one of two things: work it with a spoon and use the ice crush mode to break it up; or throw the dry ingredients in a processor before going into the blender (but this just makes it more difficult/messy and, thus, less suitable for a regular drink). like any recipes, just make it your own.

i swear i’ll chill out on the recipes sooner or leater.  cheers!

uhhhhyeah…

so the granola bars were awesome.  this is where i found the recipe.  here’s how to make them.

in a saucepan over low heat (i.e. under 110 degrees – i.e. LOW), melt:

• 1/2 C raw honey (agave + maple syrup + molasses works too)
• 1/4  C coconut oil (you can get this at most hippy stores – i got found it in the asian section of the grocery store for pretty cheap)
• 1/4 C pure peanut butter (or any nut butter for that matter, though p.b. is the best due to “stickiness”).

in bowl, blend (i put all of this in the processor to blend):

• 1  C rolled oats (non-toasted)
• 1/4 C flax seeds (i popped them in a the processor to “meal” them up a bit so they didn’t just go right through me – you can also use actual flax meal if you have it)
• 1/4 C raw sunflower seeds (unsalted)
• 1/4 C raw pumpkin seeds (unsalted)
• 1/4 C unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 C dried fruit (chopped)
• 1/4 C raw walnuts or almonds (chopped)

add the contents of the sauce pan to the bowl and work it together.  if you want, throw in a 1/2 C of vegan carob chips or regular chocolate chips once the mixture has cooled down a bit (otherwise the chips will melt – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing; you’ll just have chocolate bars rather than chocolate chip bars).  before the whole thing gets too cool to handle, spoon into a greased, squared tray and pack down.  toss it in the fridge to set up a bit and then go for it!  you can change the recipe however you want, just be mindful of the wet to dry ratio.  rock.

he has all these souls, but he has not my number…

the last post got me thinking: i have a lot of recipes that are just floating around. some are in books that i have – others are scribbled on notecards – the rest are lost forever. in an effort to get more organized, as well as cut down on what i am hauling west, i downloaded a program for mac called measuring cup and have begun the painstaking process of organizing my recipes. it seems pretty straightforward and easy to use (freeware to boot!). you can search, categorize, and print/PDF recipes for others. let’s see how it pans out.

so as i go into this culinary masochism, i ask that you post up your best of the best recipes as comments. i would love to pack your favorite foods into my collection and give them a whirl. not veggie or vegan? no worries – i’m pretty good at subbing animal products out of a recipe. no fooling on this one – i wanna see your stuff! i hope to keep a running list of my recipes on here so that you can browse – i’m happy to share what i got.

four recipes with love

i wanted to write something really meaningful tonight. unfortunately, it’s simply not there at the moment. in the past, i would have forced myself to do it just even when it didn’t feel right. but no longer. things these days have been hallmarked by that approach. if i don’t feel something – i mean really “feel” it – i just leave it be and move on to something else. this has been true for romance, jobs, and – well – blogs. so i’ll pacify your burning desire for a slice of my life with four recipes that i have really been loving recently: hummus, lentils, quick spelt bread, and raw crackers. i just guessed with a lot of the ingredient amounts – i believe in cooking from the hip. put in more or less of what you like or don’t like. it’s all about trying it and then making it your own – open source recipes if you will. hope you love them as much as i do!

– hummus:

* 1.5 cups of dried chick peas (if gutless and using canned, just use one can of drained and rinsed peas)
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 2 tbsp tahini
* 2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh if you can)
* 1 tbsp plain rice milk or plain soy yogurt
* 1 clove garlic (more if you’re a decent human being)
* 1 tsp tamari or braggs
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1/2 tsp paprika
* 1/2 tsp coriander (optional)
* 1/4 tsp onion powder (or roast a half+ of onion with the garlic!)
* 1/2 tbsp flax oil (optional)
* salt and pepper to taste (add this at the end!!!)

the night before, soak the chick peas in enough water to cover them by about an inch. when they are well hydrated, drain them and put them in a pot with fresh water – again, enough to cover them by about an inch. bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover for about an hour (add more water if necessary). once they are good ‘n soft, drain them (reserve the water to thin the hummus if you’d like). the next step is optional but is worth it if you have time and don’t mind washing another dish. put the clove(s) of garlic, the cumin, a bit of the salt, and the olive oil in a oven-worthy dish (i use a little metal bowl). make sure the cloves are covered with oil, cumin, and salt and roast at low temperature for as long as it takes. let it cook and slam all ingredients in the food processor until smooth. you can use more of the milk, a bit or water, or the reserved juice to thin it down. warm a pita in a skillet with some olive oil, cumin, and garlic salt and go to town. nice.

– lentils (thanks to ms. schaeffer for the hook up!)

* 1⁄2 cups green lentils, sorted and rinsed
* 3 cups water
* 3 cups veggie stock
* 1 onion, finely diced
* 2+ garlic cloves, finely diced (again, up the ante and go for about 3-4)
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 carrot, finely diced
* 1 celery rib, finely diced
* no more than 1 cup of whatever rice is lying around (wild is best)
* salt and freshly milled pepper
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, roasted walnut oil or butter
* red wine vinegar
* chopped parsley (optional, but nice if you have it lying around)

put the lentils in a soup pot, cover with water & veggie stock, and bring to a boil. watch for boil over (i.e. use a big pot). then add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, carrot, celery, rice, and 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt. lower the heat and simmer until tender but still a little firm – they shouldn’t be mushy – about 25 min or until most of the water is cooked off. i leave it a little “stewlike” – it’ll thicken up more than you think. remove the bay leaves, taste for salt, and season with pepper (i add quite a bit more of both, but be careful not to add too much – you can always add more, but can’t take out what you’ve put in). stir in the oil and vinegar to taste to bring up the flavor. throw in some parsley and rock that goodness!

– quick spelt bread

* 3 cups of spelt flour
* 2 packets of organic yeast (1 packet of non-organic)
* 1/2 tsp of salt
* no more than 1 cup of whatever you want in the bread (i use a combination of quinoa, sunflower seeds, flax meal/seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, steel cut oats, polenta, corn meal and almonds. be adventurous – we’ve put in seedweed, garlic, fresh dill, and fresh rosemary for a dinner bread)
* 1 3/4 cups of warm water (around 90 degrees)
* 1/4 cup of sweetener (i use a combination of agave nectar, maple syrup, and molasses)

preheat oven to 375 degrees. using butter (i use earth balance) and your fingers, grease a large loaf pan (the process will be a lot easier later if you do this now). combine water, sweetener, 2 cups of flour, and yeast in a bowl and mix until the flour and yeast are moistened (i recommend mixing the yeast and flour together before adding water – i also recommend using a 2 cup liquid measuring cup for the water and sweetener. that way you can dissolve the sweetener in the water before adding to the flour and yeast). cover with a towel and place in a warm location (next to a wood stove or on top of the oven). in the mean time, mix the remaining flour, the salt, and the various seeds, nuts, or whatever you’re adding in a large bowl. make sure you combine it all really well. when the yeast mixture has grown a bit and is smelling very “yeasty,” add it to the dry ingredients and combine well (don’t over mix though – it works all the CO2 the yeast has given off out of the dough). the dough will be very wet – don’t worry! pour into the loaf pan and spread evenly. i do a kind of dance with the pan – shaking it from side to side to even the dough out and then banging it on the counter to force any air pockets out. sprinkle some seeds and nuts on the top and pat down so that they’ll stick. pop in the oven for 45 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. let it cool a bit and gorge. mosh.

– flax and oat raw crackers

* 4 cups oat groats (soaked for 48 hours)
* 1 cup flax seeds (soaked 4 hours)
* 3-5 cloves of garlic
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 onion
* whatever flavor you’re into (cumin, chili powder, seaweed, whatever) to taste

so most of this recipe is tied up in soaking the oats & flax, as well as dehydrating the crackers. if you’ve got some down time, then go for it. if you’re busy, it might be a hassle. basically, when the oats & flax are soaked (they’ll be really gooey), combine the ingredients with them in a food processor with a little ass behind it and process them until they mixture is well blended (mine usually turns white-ish). on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper (push down the corners!) or one of those fancy silicone mats ($19.99 at linens and things and well worth it if you’re doing a lot of dehydrating and don’t want to keep thowing out parchment paper) pour the mixture and spread evenly to a thickness of around a 1/4 inch. in an oven heated to 105 degrees (if it goes that low – mine goes to 170 so i use an in-oven thermometer and crack the door open far enough to drop it down to 105), dehydrate the mixture for 4-5 hours (yes – HOURS. i start mine 4-5 hours before i am going to bed). flip the crackers – best achieved by flipped the sheet over onto another piece of cookie sheet – and put break lines in them (so when they are finished you’ll be able to break them apart in uniform pieces). put back in the oven for another 4-5 hours (i go to bed and then flip them when i get up for work or to go to the bathroom). break them and love on the hummus with them.

try these and drop your variations in a comment. i’d love to hear how they work out and try new approaches.