Ecstatic Friday, January 30, 2015

Before opening my eyes this Ecstatic Fri morn, two things crossed my mind. One was Johnny Cash singing the old hymn "In the Garden" and the other words from Franz Kafka: "You need not do anything. Remain sitting at your table and listen. You need not even listen, just wait. You need not even wait, just learn to be quiet, still and solitary. And the world will freely offer itself to you unmasked. It has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet." What divine paradox! If you want the world to unfurl its mysteries, be still. It's that simple. Namaste.

Ecstatic Friday, January 23, 2015

Happy Ecstatic Friday! I've been thinking this week about the company we keep. Why do so many of us surround ourselves with the petty, the jealous, the small-minded? Take some advice from Mark Twain: "Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great, make you feel that you too can become great." And, then, we must heed Daniel Burman, "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's souls." So, what are we waiting for? Let's go be great!

Ecstatic Friday, January 16 2015

The first Ecstatic Friday appearance for Hafiz in 2015: "You carry all the ingredients to turn your existence into joy, mix them, mix them!" Don't you just love that? Joy -- that life affirming, everlasting happiness which bubbles deep inside --- only requires you mixing-up what you already have right now. What are you waiting for? And, that's the truth!

Cooking Thoughts: California cuisine meets Texas down home

In hanging with my dad these last few months, it's really been an exercise between my cooking repertoire and his palate.

Through curries, pad thai, frittatas, mexican street food, delicate soups, cous cous, quinoa, crostinis, braised venison etc, he's been a real trooper trying new things.

My Aunt Earlene, though, summed it up, though. When I served her edamame and hummus, she said, "what you are really saying is that I'm eating soybeans and bean dip? Why didn't you just say that in the first place." Love it!

Ecstatic Friday January 2

The first real Ecstatic Friday of 2015 is all about beginnings. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts." Well, with the new year, strength and out-of-box thinking should come rushing in exponentially. Sign me up! Why don't you join me, please? The world needs us all to be more creative.

New Year Resolution, 2015

Happy first day of 2015! In thinking about this year, I'm mulling over the role we play in our own lives. Sometimes, I forget that I am the doer, the accountable one-- the special sauce. Yes, good is always present ... But we are the ones who must reveal it to ourselves and others. My meditation today is Michelangelo's quote when asked about the angel at St Domenic's tomb: "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free."

That's my 2015 resolution: carve until I set my life's masterpiece free! Blessed 2015!

Ecstatic Friday, December 19, 2014

Happy Ecstatic Fri in a month of miracles! I've been thinking about Mark Twain's quote: “The miracle, or the power, that elevates the few is to be found in their industry, application, and perseverance under the prompting of a brave, determined spirit.” What I (and others) miss about miracles is that we must put our lives into "drive" first; we initiate the miracle. Across most ancient religions -- be it Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc -- it is taught that we take one step towards God, and God takes 10-20-100 or 1 million steps towards us. Notice, though, we must initiate the step. That's the key to having a miracle. Take the first step and expect a miracle today.

Ecstatic Friday, December 12, 2014

Happy Ecstatic Fri! From my earliest memories until her death, my mother told me that my birth was an answer to her prayers. Having lost a newborn son too weak to live before me, she prayed incessantly for a strong baby girl.

All snickering aside about being careful what you pray for, I've been thinking lately how we would all behave differently if we realized that at even our most imperfect moments, we are still the most perfect divine answer to another's prayer --- be it the prayers of our mother, grandparents, partner, children or friends. Somewhere along the way, someone prayed for a miracle and were given wonderful YOU! Namaste!

Kale and Cherry Salad

We all know that kale is good for us. The trick is to liven it up so it doesn't grow old in your diet. One of my favorite recipes for summer is a Kale and Cherry Salad.

Fresh Kale and Cherry Salad

Ingredients:

• Kale (I prefer Tuscan Kale. It is super easy to grow so don't be afraid.)
• Handful of pecans (toasted)
• Handful of cherries (pitted and halved)
• A shake of feta cheese

Wash your kale and dry the leaves. Cut all the ribs from the leaves. Massage the kale with the dressing:

Dressing:

• Olive Oil
• Dijon Mustard (or French’s if you don’t have)
• Dollop of honey (about 1tsp)
• Some balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar if you don’t have balsamic)
• Salt and Black pepper to taste

In a food processor, shake it up. I sometimes throw a few extra cherries into the dressing to sweeten it up

After massaging the kale with dressing, throw in the rest of the salad ingredients (Pecans, cherries and feta)

Serve. Easy and delicious! The key is to cut the ribs out of the kale and to massage it so that the leaves are super tender and flavorful with each bite.