Movin' Movin'

I'm still feeling good participating in the Lenten 'moving' challenge - Friday was an awesome 'blue sky' kind of day - during a break (after walking the grand daughter to playschool in AM) I went to the park close to my office, & did Soaring Crane Qigong in the sunshine - such a nice way to be movin' & be outside!

Saturday was my 2x a month 'morning coffee' with my Moms group - walked there & back home (~ 26 blocks) & though I thought of doing more movement, mostly poked around learning more about using coconut oil, & looking up a 'Ranch' type dressing recipes for a dear gal friend. My daughter is a Ranch aficionado, & says that she has given up trying to find one that tastes right without egg yolks (she's allergic).
When my kids were young, I made mayonnaise, using eggs from our own chickens & fresh greens, so decided to try my hand at a creamy dressing.

This morning I used my tiny food processor to make a Creamy Shiitake Mushroom & Garlic dressing / Mayo:
I began with flax seed I'd soaked overnight & ground in the processor, (~ 1/4 C) 1/2 C organic sour cream with a T of lemon juice,
1/2 tsp prepared mustard,
a bit of salt & pepper,
coconut oil (1/4 - 1/2 C) & whizzed that.

Then I sauteed a garlic clove & one shiitake mushroom in a tsp of coconut oil, & chopped a bit when cool, then added
1 tsp curry powder
4 sprigs of fresh parsley (from my garden - overwintered).
I added olive oil in a stream through the hole in the top (about tsp at a time, then whizz) 1/4 - 1/2 cup.

It's a bit crunchy (from the flax - most recipes call for a whole egg & maybe an extra yolk - I could have used egg whites, but decided to try flax! I soaked the flax the night before, then ground in the processor. I think I'll try grinding the flax in my coffee grinder, then soaking.
-- The mushroom was the first from this year's 'Shiitake Mushroom Garden' - so much fun to grow my own mushrooms!! Christmas '07 many vendors shared a space for several weeks, & some local mushroom folks had baskets with a 'garden', (an 'oak sawdust bale' inoculated with mushroom spores) a potholder, instruction sheet, dried mushrooms, a water sprayer & recipe sheet!
I came home & told my daughter & her fiance (now hubby) that I really, really wanted one - so there it was, Christmas morning! I got four 'flushes' from my first garden - was sad when I'd used it up!
This year, the snow interfered with their Holiday Market trip - so I didn't get my 'refill' (the 'garden' in a bag), which needs to be refrigerated overnight to 'star.t) Therefore, I was tickled to find that a newly opened year round shop that features products from many of the same jewelers, carvers, & producers of local food products, also carried dried mushrooms & the gardens . . . 2 weeks ago, one followed me home!

When this flush is done, I'll let the block 'rest' a few days, then soak overnight & put it back in its aquarium (picked up from a local thrift store) & it will produce another cycle. Each cycle lasts about a month, & I expect to get 3 or 4 total cycles - what delicious mushrooms!

** For breakfast, I made a fruit & seed smoothie:
5 raw filberts (local) ]
2 tsp sesame seeds ]
3 tsp flax seeds ] soaked overnight in ~ 2x the water
1 t sunflower seeds ]
In the AM I put the mix in the blender & added 1 1/2 C yogurt (local)
2 T canned coconut milk
2 T coconut butter (Organic Virgin)
1 T Og agave nectar
a pinch of stevia
-- blended till combined, then added ~ a cup of frozen local blueberries

I took it over to my daughters & offered her some - the girls quickly asked for some too, & thought it was pretty yummy :)

Today several people commented on how good I look! I am about a week & 1/2 into using coconut oil, plus more movement, & feel that's making a difference! I need to decide soon if I'm taking the SoulCollage faclitator training I thought I'd do - have found myself 'flitting' from interest to interst recently. Time to step back & 'sit with' what I'd like to explore.

Was looking up some info on teachings I've enjoyed for 15 or so years - & was surprised to see the teacher's 'Native American' credentials challanged! I still enjoy the heart of what was shared, so am intrigued - Dhani Ywahoo - wisdom teacher? fraud? I use her chakra chants, esp if I'm feeling ill (to good effect!) & sat with a delightful group working with these teaching in the mid 90s. (& yes, there was a fee for the workshop!) Like many things, I've take parts that resonated, & haven't explored beyond that. Do I still like the chants? Yes, no matter their origin :)

This afternoon I chatted with my biologist former hubby (at our dau-in law's BD party) about coconut oil, asked what he has heard. He commented on the nature of the fat, & that it was the only fat his younger son could tolerate/absorb before his liver transplant! (the boy had a congenital liver condition, & in '07 at 14 was able to get a new, functioning liver!)
I owe my original interest in natural foods & the reasoning behind using them to his own scientific approach to the issue - so it's fun to pick his brain.