words.

i am a volcano.  i am a leaf floating in the sky, so high - all i see is blue
and white - "fleecy clouds" as he would say and i replied 'i do' and that's where it begins
in the blue and out of the blue and i am not sure if i really love the blues-
oh the reds, the fuschias, the magentas, the deepest rubies glistening from my cheeks 
only to inspire others to find their cheeks 
rub around in some diamonds and let it shine
let it shine so loud that you can hardly hear yourself whine
from the tragedies of past lives and then 
drink the milk off your brow like the tongue of a kitty cat 
allow the nourishing in and create your sparkly den 
why wait for the explosion inside 
just go, go, GO
take that magic carpet ride
unbutton your pants and let your belly lay over your belt buckles  
tatooing your skin every six inches with that belt buckle thing 
creating an open fence around your belly 
or a smile 
allow that fat to rest perfectly
as though it was excepted and trendy 
you almost want to ask how much it costs
so you can make more of that lay over
resting in the truth of that letting go 
finding the regality
the crown around your body that can only hold what you so deeply long for, holding the only thing you can count on, holding love. 


*poem from the sequoia forest, june 2010*

coming home & starting again.

i have been away & i am on my way back. i did not go on an airplane or visit another language. i did not take long naps by the beach or go to exotic dinners. it's been a time of family needs. a time to stop everything & focus on family. i can hear you nodding your heads..."yes, me too, i have been there"... i have missed you, me, these words, the kitchen, the energy of the summer starting & i want to jump in and embrace it all... the only photos i have to share are of my travels since last we connected. it's been a poem of a time (other titles that could work are twlight zone or whirlwind) and this is our life as renaissance mamas... women who do it all, who live life, who make life, who create the nourishment for all to feed & grow, women who have a deep desire to change or shift the world AND women who take care of themselves and nurture others. that's the biggest one for RM: NURTURING YOU to fuel the nourishment of your family. we can only learn this one together...it's a communal effort as it's a new paradigm of truely taking care of oneself and family..we have to support each other in it.

as i am coming through to the other side of this time....i am rediscovering a whole new way with my business of renaissance mamas AND i am coming to your neighborhood!! i am determined to build and create a nurturing culture in america where families know how to cook & eat well, surrounded by beauty, inspired by what's growing locally & empowered with the confidence to know how regardless of the shame, guilt & resistance we have surrounding our daily food culture today. i see a country of people who take back their local farms by supporting their local farmers, demanding good food from the government & taking charge of what they put in the their bodies. i want to empower women to take charge in the kitchen, inspire them to create rustic meals for their families and sate their needs at the same time. there is so much more on this... for now, invite me to your school, your town hall, your kitchen & lets get this conversation going... this renaissance mama is ready to get myself & everybody back on the wagon supporting this piece in all of us. see you in the kitchenxxx

**all photos were captured by my dear friend ingrid moriarty

please check more of her work out at www.ifmphoto.com**

small magazine.

hi mamas.. happy june! i hope all is well & inspiring in the kitchen. i feel really honored and excited to be apart of this incredible collaboration of artists, mamas & papas that make up small magazine. RM is in their summer issue with a flourless chocolate cake! if you have not heard of small mag. you are in for a real treat. it's AMAZING. everything is inspiring... page after page. take some self-care time and browse.... i promise every page is worth a look. they are definitely doing something right. (now if i could just get all the outfits in my size!) see you in the kitchenxxx

hot house.

it's cucumber salad time... i mean if you want it to be. this is a sweet & sour (more sweet) so so simple recipe that comes from my mom's kitchen... she always made it as a side dish served during the jewish holidays... but i make it a lot right about now. if you can get organic hot house cucumbers, those are the best b/c they are skinny and fit in the cuisineart for a fast slice or you can thinly slice by hand which is perfect too. if you can leave some time for this to steep and sit in the fridge a bit.. that is even better. if you are in los angeles, scott from peacock farms has cucumbers that are not too thin but oh so good. you can find him in hollywood on sunday & santa monica on wednesdays.

so slice the cucs, put them in a bowl you love (preferably medium to large and wide), mix the dressing which is 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, 1/4 cup of canola oil & 1/4 cup of rice vinegar... add water to taste... mix well with whatever feels good in your hand... i usually do this in a pyrex measuring cup with a fork. then i will taste a lot to see what i need... add whatever you are feeling... it could be a little water or more of one of the key ingredients...pour on cucumbers....cover & put in fridge for an hour or more. let me know how it goes & see you in the kitchenxxx

sometimes...

it is just this way

observing all that surrounds you

almost praying to it

as it does

what it's meant to do

allowing what is

right now

and letting nature

do what it needs to do

to release

to guide

to be

and

beginning

(slowly)

to listen

again.

thank you marshall & kee!

tweet, tweet.

YEP. i did it...i have been invited to be apart of another great event

next week (thursday, may 20th) for PAM & it's called (get ready) a

twitter party!! thus, the beginning of my tweeting career. i guess

the saying really stands true: if you don't have any energy to fight

em', join em.' what would make this so amazing and fun? you ask.

follow me on twitter! it's a whole new world over there.. up to date

info from the RM kitchen, insights and daily inspiration from being

out on the road with other mamas in their kitchens & a whole lot more!

i hope you will consider it. it took me this long. see you on twitterxxx

here is where you can find me: www.twitter.com/RMkitchenlove

saturday, may 15.

RM will be apart of a panel in the morning & sharing the kitchen love throughout the day. please come by with your family & enjoy a day of inspiration & fun! for more information: www.bellysprout.com.. print this and come for free! see you in the kitchenxxx

parsnip poem.

i want to tip toe, so silent, sit and stare at this poem of parsnips. the beauty that lies here...so still. it yeilds & speaks to me a the same time.. to a deep piece in me & us perhaps....withered & worn, exhausted and yet still here, more present then people i talk to in the day to day...they inspire me... this was the last of the pickins' at the market last week... i picked every last one.. they are so small and at the end of their season... i am not quite sure why i chose a dungeness crab parsnip soup to make with the mamas in the RM kitchen last week but it was so incredible that i had to share it with you..unfortunately, no more photos to share of the soup b/c it was gone before i could grab my camera. it was described as a pillow, soft like a duvee, grounding and so gentle, it was a round soup in it's nature and rythymn... it really is worth your time. i found it here from the kitchn....

Parsnip & Crab Soup
serves 6-8

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 leek, white part only, sliced into thin rings
1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
5-7 parsnips, peeled and chopped (i used all these little ones)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3-5 cups water with 2 vegan repunzel cubes (ones with sea salt)
1/2 pound cooked lump crab meat
Chopped Italian parsley, mint, cilantro to garnish

In a 4-6 quart pot over medium flame, heat the olive oil. When glistening, sweat the onion, leek, potato, parsnips, garlic and ginger with the salt for a few minutes until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Add the stock to cover, bring to a boil then lower heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the crab meat and cook another 2-3 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt if needed and freshly ground black pepper.

For a smooth soup, blend using either an immersion blender or in batches in a blender, taking care not to overfill. For a more rustic soup, mash any large bits of potato with the back of a wooden spoon. Serve warm and garnish with chopped herbs.

Serve warm and garnish with chopped herbs.

we had it rustic style and it was beautiful. let me know how it goes & see you in the kitchenxxx

tools.

here are a few of my tools that go wherever i go...

1. timer.. it's cute and it ticks aloud

2. mits that fit my hands and cute too

3. bread knife.. one tool that cuts everything... fast.

it's essential to have the right tools in your kitchen & here are few rules to go with gathering your tools..

first: you must love the tool.. whether it's the feel of the tool in your hand, the color, the look of it, the way it feels/looks in your space. two: the impact it had being born on the planet... i am a huge believer in quality over anything else... cooking is a craft & it requires the best tools.. if you use crappy tools, you will have a crappy time of cooking... and it works the other way around.. when you have a tool that you admire and respect, you begin to feel that with what you gather, create & cook. three: quality tools.. yep they do cost. you can save up & get the most important thing first and create a wish list of things you know you need. we are a country of consumers of what we never use!! so when it comes down to actually spending a little more on what you will use everyday ( 2 -3 meals a day), we resist....we really won't buy it because we believe we could use that money to buy so much more... yeah, so much more of what we won't ever use.... we have all been brainwashed by the cheap, easy, convenient ways of the world. i am like a phoenix rising to that idea... i am so passionate about it i almost want to send this with a little fire attachment to get the message across ;) if you have questions about tools please ask in the comment boxes.. i am sure everyone has the same or similar questions. it's basic: get things you love, that feel good to you and the mama earth, if it's cheap question why, start to value what you buy... lean more towards wood and steel. see you in the kitchenxxx

renaissance papa.

my grandmother, cleopatra, used to say your face speaks so loud i can hardly hear what you have to say...and this is how i feel about the work jamie oliver is doing...these conversations he is having with americans, parents, kids, teachers..... kids not knowing what a tomato or a potato looks like... this is not only an epidemic but a red bull up our tooshies to KEEP THIS CONVERSATION GOING!!! we might think that this is far away from los angeles, unfortunately it's not... we all need to come together and help each other learn this nourishing, nurturing piece.. it's essential to our evolution, our childrens growth and our planets... comments? the only way to change... is to keep sharing, passing it on, BEING THE CHANGE... and if you don't know what to do... call me. see you in the kitchenXXX

fried green tomatoes.

yep.. it's true.. these are the easiest things to cook up if 1. you find them at the market & 2. the setup. OH and it's so so fun for the kids. ocean was loving the dipping and then the coating... it's really great to see that kind of sculpture take place... so i tried these in the RM kitchen thursdays with just corn meal... and it was like eating the beach...the next week i made them again with a little mixture of flour, corn meal & i can't remember now if i put some matzo meal in there... but whatever the case.. the flour saved the day & smoothed out all the bumps and it so yummy.... the key here like i said: set up & tools... get your egg mixture going in a small to medium sized bowl that you can work in and out of with your hands... the amount of eggs depends on how many tomatoes you have.. there were no measurments in this... (i know.. shocking ;) and then in another wide rimmed bowl.. mix the flour & corn meal *(you can experiment with all sorts of flours and meals... add matzoh meal if you want to) then make sure everything is close together and close to the medium high heated pan filled with canola oil.. or grapeseed.. or you could experiment here too..with different high heated oils like sunflower, peanut, etc... get your papar bag for the fried tomatoes after so you have your assembly line going... have a great time! see you in the kitchenxxx

yam, i am.

mondays can be filled with so many lists... 'to do' lists, 'what didn't get done last week' lists, wish lists & 'what i want to be when i grow up' lists....it's full with expectation & hope. i feel like this happens so much in the kitchen and with our food... what to make, what to go and get, what to let rot, what to know, what i don't know at all..... and that list goes on and on...how does this idea lead into this great salad? i have no idea. what i can tell you is...the RM 'food all the time' mantra is the way to go when any anxiety comes up around food and what you are going to make on a day to day basis...we are a culture that makes food for an occasion.. hello thanksgiving. and "dinner"... it's as though we have no other meals...'what are you making for dinner?' has an amazing PR person....that question makes it on the map on a daily basis.. oh yeah.. sunday brunches.. i have taken on a big job with renaissance mamas...inspiring women to embrace the kitchen again (before we ever thought of it as inconvenient.. oh i mean before the idea of convenience looked like black out shades, a nap & room service... so incredibly appealing) AND be in this modern time of gathering, creating a consciousness around our consuming & supporting a schedule that fits in this vital piece of our deepest NEEDS.. not only to eat but to be NOURISHED all the time... now i really have no idea how this connects to this recipe other than it's a great meal to have 'all the time' in the fridge or out on the counter in a beautiful vessel and a towel you love covering it.....ready to eat whenever!! i found it on this sweet site called not derby pie. here is the recipe:

Yam, Zucchini, and Chickpea Salad

inspired by 101 Cookbooks

2 yams, cut into a medium dice

1 zucchini, medium dice

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 garlic cloves

3 sprigs or more parsley, leaves finely chopped

2 scallions, chopped

Dressing:
1 Tbsp tahini
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1 garlic clove, smashed into a paste with some salt
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread sweet potato and zucchini pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast about 1 hour, until soft and caramelized in spots. If vegetables get soft before they darken, pop them under the broiler for 3 minutes, and they’ll get plenty brown. Remove, and set aside. In a small frying pan over medium heat, saute chickpeas and whole garlic cloves in 1 tsp of olive oil (just enough to moisten) for about 3 minutes, until the chickpeas dry out a bit. In a medium-large bowl, mix the chickpeas with the yams and zucchini. Salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Add the parsley. Combine all ingredients in the dressing; if too clumpy, add water by the teaspoon until the dressing is smooth and runny. Pour over vegetables, toss to coat, and serve warm or room temperature, or hell, even cold. This stuff is good any which way.

let me know how it goes...see you in the kitchenxxx

artichokes & chickpeas.

to continue on with love & care... here is a recipe that is fast on the prep, inspired by spring & gorgeous. the colors mirror that warmth that is just beginning to make it's way into the middle of the day, (that 'get in your car and don't do a thing heat' that makes you want to take an instant nap)... and the taste is grounded, simple & lovely. there are all sorts of choices in this recipe to love, care or both... i get to the heart of the artichokes peeling away the layers and then cutting them in half with my bread knife...then i get a heavy saute pan out & put it on medium-high & add olive oil & garlic. we are packing light (taking off all our purple feathers) so i make sure it's hot & slide them in there... don't touch them with your wooden wand. let them sear, saute, heat up, cook & remain in their designated spot for more than 5 minutes... then use your over-excited urge to move them around... feeling like you are making something happen. we all do it. let cook for a while.. you can also roast and use the oven for this which is below... then i add the garbanzo beans and let marinate together... toast the sesame seeds.. and add lemon zest, juice & seeds at the end.. so good... see you in the kitchenxxx

here is the recipe i found: roasted artichokes chickpeas & garlic salad with lemon & sesame then i did a bit of my own thing.. let me know what you think!

love & care.

now this has got me thinking...steeping.. listening..and understanding something i do all the time and seeing it in a new light...this is the beginning of another RM conversation: love & care. this topic feels delicate with a strong spine of committment framed in cashmere socks.. just kidding....well...ok maybe i am not kidding.. would that be weird ? it's always good to be grounded in some cashmere....i mean you gotta stay warm right? and why do i say delicate? because when you talk to a mama about love and care.. the voice inside says...yep. check. of course, i have those things..i am a mom. the end...and then you move this concept into the kitchen and the whole dynamic changes...now it's almost offensive to ask about love and care. why? why is this? because we are beating time down with a whiffle ball bat ? beacuse we are lacking the deepest needs of a mama starting with self-care? or is it lack of knowledge? support? olive oil & yellow onions? i want to hear your thoughts on this one...see you in the kitchenxxx

*in the photo: purple artichokes.. recipe on it's way*

peas & beans.

how gorgeous are these snap peas & fava beans!!! it's impossible to look at these without excitment! i am so incredibly inspired by spring that it fuels me to do the crazy prep that this dish entails...i suggest gathering a few of your favorite vessels and taking them to the table, outside on the patio or the yard...putting a blanket down & prepping in a meditation mode.... you can also do this while watching the babes or have them help. ocean loves to prep the snap peas.. i showed him how you bring the thread part down to open the side and then open up the pea like snap surgery.. he gets so excited about telling me how many are in each pod. it's about 2 lbs of snap peas pods to 2 cups of peas (depending on the size). they have been ranging from 3.50 - 5 dollars per lb. at the market. the fava beans are a deeper prep situation as they have the cushy duvet like pod, one casing and then you finally make your way to the thin green bean....this dish is perfect for the RM mantra of food all the time...and yes there is definitely prep... it goes along with this conversation we have been having in the RM thursday classes in my kitchen.. love versus care in your creating, gathering, cooking the food... i feel that love - which is a very RM idea... to put the love in and you can actually taste it..massage it with love etc...is faster in it's dynamic... love is fast.. but care... caring... feels slow in it's dance.. right? how do you feel about this? i think you make a conscious commitment to care... love feels easier and great and necessary. and absolutely it must be there with intention... that's when it works.. but the care piece... is something that i am steeping in... you can feel it on a deeper level with the most simple foods... this feels like a care piece in it's prep. it slows you down, grounds you and makes you stop... then the rest of this is so fast and easy it's raddichio.. i mean rediculous. (really inspired...) ok. this spring ragout with the pasta was sent to me through the 101 cookbooks emails... here is the post for this dish... this is SO fast (once you have everything ready)...heidi also used asparagus.. which you absolutely can.. i didn't in this b/c i love the peas and beans!

20-30 fava bean pods, removed from puffy shell

extra virgin olive oil

fine grain sea salt

1 1/2 cups peas, freshly shelled or frozen

zest of one lemon

splash of cream

pecorino cheese (Parmesan would be a fine alt.)

edible flowers for garnish (totally optional)

Cook fava beans for about a minute in a pot of salted water. Drain, run under cold water, and shell 2nd layer. To do this pinch each fava to break the skin and gently squeeze to separate the bean from the skin. Set aside. In a cold skillet big splash of olive oil, 2 big pinches of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water. Heat over medium high heat and when the water starts bubbling add the asparagus spears. Cover and cook for 30-45 seconds, longer if the asparagus is thicker until it is barely tender and bright green. Stir in the peas peas and cook uncovered for another 20 seconds or so (maybe a touch longer if you were using peas that were frozen). Stir in the lemon zest, the tiniest splash of cream, and serve garnished with edible flowers. Serves 4.

please let me know how this goes.... and how the love & care conversation goes too... would love to hear what you think... see you in the kitchenxxx