BANQUET OF BLESSINGS (UK) 2018 - Kundalini Yoga & Raw Food Retreat

Make a cup of tea, sit back and take in this interview. In it, I play my Native American Love Flute and answer questions (posed by friend and raw food coach, Gabriela Lerner) about the upcoming Kundalini Yoga & Raw Food Retreat: 

"Banquet of Blessings", in Dorset, UK, 11-13 May 2018. 

Click here to find out more about the retreat and register before end of January 2018 for the early bird special (10% off). 

Sat nam.

SACRED GROUNDING for your relationship

Two bubbles connect amorously in a fresh chilled glass of "Sacred Grounding". 

Concocted by Table for Two Made for You to resonate with the energies of your first chakra (which is red in colour), this refreshing raw blend feeds the foundation of your relationship, supporting elements that enable deeper feelings of grounding, stability, security and belonging.

The drink invites you and your companion to TRUST—Self, each Other and Life. All is well.

#TFTfeedyourchakras
www.tablefortwomadeforyou.com

Now at #19 of 63 Restaurants in Tobago

Now in its 7th month, Table for Two Made for You has moved up to #19 of 63 restaurants in Tobago (i.e. those listed on Tripadvisor). Make a booking and discover for yourself what local and traveling dining pairs have been experiencing ... although your experience is guaranteed to be entirely your own.

• 6 reviews of Table for Two in Tobago

Yum

From my first batch of Raw Golden Milk

I love boiled Golden Milk, but this raw Golden Milk that I made the other day was also fantastic, in a different way.

For the "milk" part I used sunflower seeds, blended in water until they form a thick creamy liquid. You can either use the "milk" like that (if you like tasting the gritty bits as you drink) or you can strain it for a smoother taste.

You will love this raw gift

Raw Lasagne

Interested in bringing a little raw eating into your life? 

Over the next few days I will be recreating and documenting measurements of some of the raw dishes I have created since 2008—and packaging these recipes in a compact and attractive form that you will love. The perfect gift—for Christmas or otherwise, for you and/or loved ones.


Stay tuned for more.

My watermelon surprise

Inspecting the crop with Jasper

This morning when I returned from my walk, I glanced at the watermelon vine and saw this baby watermelon peeping out at me! My second glance caught sight of another watermelon, the size and shape of a small cucumber, further along the vine. What a surprise.

This vine is what grew from me sitting in the driveway on mornings after a walk, eating watermelon and tossing the seeds into the soil under the pine tree.

sofobomo

One of my 'old' raw pics (lentil sprouts). But we're not allowed to use old pics for sofobomo.

In 2006 I challenged myself to nanowrimo (to write a 50,000 word book in a month). The result was Daisy Chain, which I wrote in about seven days (top speed stream-of-consciousness).

Recently I came across sofobomo, which is the photo version of nanowrimo. The challenge: you have 31 days to take 35 photos (easy enough), make a book of it and upload the book as a pdf. In between all of the other things I am currently doing, I am taking photos and creating a mini version of the raw recipe book I've been intending to make (and which many have been clamouring at me to do) for ages now. It will be a simple book, designed simply to start and finish the sofobomo challenge ... but the important thing is, it is a start - something that can be built upon later if/when I choose to.

Thanks to the course I've been doing (Masters Course in InDesign) - the last day of which is today - I now know how to design books and magazines. This helps in the creation of my book for sofobomo. I'm happy with how it's turning out.

What to do with that limp, soggy banana

When bananas get limp, with black spots and have an overripe taste, what can you do with them other than throw them away, compost them, give them to birds or make banana bread?

Today I experimented with what turned out to be an elegantly spicy dessert concoction. It warranted seconds, but I had made just enough for one serving.

I'm calling it Banamangocococardaberry.

INGREDIENTS
One chilled Julie mango, peeled and sliced
One soft banana with black spots (remove skin)
2 tablespoons of grated dry coconut meat
Three cardamom pods (burst them open to get the black seeds within)
Cranberries

METHOD
1. Blend the Julie mango, banana and coconut in a small food processor or blender until they become one unified pulp
2. Put the resulting mixture into the bowl from which you will eat
3. Sprinkle the cardamom seeds and cranberries

You can either mix the seeds and berries into the pulp or leave them as a design on top.

Serves one.

Making Love

I've already worked on the non-edible part of the Tongue Lingers love packages ... and may get started on the edible part today. Orders will be ready for Thursday.

Two slots remaining for Tongue Lingers

See here to read all about Tongue Lingers and place your order.

Three out of five orders have been placed so far.

I started preparing the non-edible part of the packages last night.

Will make the Tongue Lingers on a day early next week in time for Thursday delivery/collection.

Give sweet, raw Love for Valentine's Day

Tongue Lingers: A gift you won't get anywhere else.

While every day is a day for Love, February 14th is THE day on which many the world over celebrate Love with others ... whether openly or as a 'secret admirer'.

Last year I worked in a friend's flower shop on Valentine's Day (you can read about that here. It was both hilarious and upsetting). I was shocked to see the amount of money (hundreds to thousands of dollars) being either casually or frantically forked out of men's pockets ... to buy flowers for their women (or men), who clearly expected nothing less than a massive, expensive display of commercial "Love". Otherwise, there would be trouble.

Interestingly, very few women were in the store purchasing blooms.

Special Offer
If you are inclined to express your Love commercially for Valentine's Day 2010, forget the cliché red hearts, cheesy stuffed toys, balloons and expensive flower bouquets.

Place your order today for custom made wholesome, irreststable, raw "Tongue Lingers". The name alone promises that your Beloved will enjoy this all natural treat.

- a 100% natural, original, delectable blend of sunflower seeds, dates, carob, cinnamon, coconut and Love
- Unique personalised packaging, created specifically for your Beloved is guaranteed to delight
- Special love notes included

For more details and to place your order(s) by Sunday 7 February 2010, please call me at 786-2539.

N.B. Maximum of five orders only (special limited edition) for 2010. First come, first served.

Deliveries or collections will be made before or on Thursday 11 February to avoid Carnival traffic. Tongue Lingers can be (should be) stored in the fridge until you are ready to give to your Beloved.

The Gift of Life

Find more photos like this on Give it to me Raw

Some of my raw creations
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Yesterday I started putting together the gift I'll be giving my godson Luc (age 8) for Christmas. He doesn't read this blog, so mentioning the gift won't spoil the surprise. I'm sharing this because someone out there may be wracking their brain, trying to figure out what to give someone (child or adult) ... and this blog post may come to the rescue.

This is a gift for all ages. It's also ideal because, once taken care of and attended to, it will continue to give to the recipient and loved ones all through the year(s).

The gift will also get the recipient into activities that are necessary in today's world:
(1) reducing, reusing and recycling
(2) planting our own organic food

I'm giving Luc three troughs, each containing rich, moist, fertile, dark brown, earth from Santa Cruz. The troughs are apple crates (crates that apples came packed in - available for free from any fruit vendor). This is an example of 'reusing', rather than purchasing expensive plastic crates from plant stores. The apple crates are perfectly good vessels that would otherwise have been tossed into some landfill.

Trough #1 contains basic seasoning: chadon beni and chive (will add other herbs too)
Trough #2 contains 4 green cabbages and two melongene plants
Trough #3 contains 4 lettuce plants and some more chadon beni

Maybe I'll buy a child's watering can to go with it.

This is a good start. Pretty soon he will be able to harvest his own crops ... although, these are the kinds of foods that children generally don't like.

But maybe he'll start to like greens because he's growing them.

Based on my own experience as a child, I'm assuming he'll enjoy having his own kitchen garden. I used to have a few beds in the back yard where I grew every imaginable seed or growable item that passed through the kitchen: pigeon peas, corn, pumpkin, watermelon, potato, etc.

Prep's Garden

7:24 mins
Food security in Trinidad and Tobago - a national priority

I completed the above video this week (7:24 mins). It features 6 year old students of the primary school I went to as a child (The University School).

Hopefully after viewing this you will be inspired to plant your own organic garden (i.e. if you don't have one already).

As a thank you for making this video with them, the children gave me some of their delicious organic ochros.

With gifts from the Gods, I am a millionaire

My purchases for the morning: coconut, watermelon, avocado

This morning as I stood drinking a jelly coconut, the coconut vendor (the one by UWI Doubles) launched into one of his little stories:

"I does wuk for recreation. I does wuk for recreation! I is 87 years old! I have property for $3 million dollars." (Here he scrunched up his mouth and waved his hands dismissively). "I give dat to meh chirren. I ent know A from B. I could speak Hindi, I could speak English, but in school I couldn't spell meh name. A and B?!"

I understand what he means by 'working for recreation'. He doesn't need to work anymore, but he wants to.

Work for some is not about the work itself. It's about routinely performing an action to get money to pay bills and 'live'.

Over the past month or so, I've been gradually cleaning, clearing and giving away things that I no longer want, need or use. The most recent things that I chose to give were some framed original photographs of mine. Those who expressed the desire to own them agreed that they would get the photograph of their choice in exchange for raw fruits, vegetables and/or nuts of their choosing.

Last night was the first exchange. Two individuals each received their framed photos. In return I received portugals, mango and two bags of assorted nuts (walnuts, etc) in their shells.

Today I will deliver another photo and the recipient says she'll take me to the fruit/vegetable stall for produce and/or to The Little Store for dried fruit and/or nuts.

On Saturday I'll be exchanging the final two framed photographs for more raw goods. One recipient said she will meet me after she goes to the market. The other mentioned 'a box' of supplies. In total, this is my food for a week or more.

In order to have and experience some things in this world, we need money. Right now I can't pay my TSTT bill with two avocados and a slab of watermelon, buy a house by the river/sea with bananas and nuts or travel the world in exchange for two large pumpkins.

But it feels special and exciting to receive raw edibles in return for these framed photographs. Symbolically, it is very meaningful to me.

The recipients genuinely wanted the images they chose and, in return, they spent time thinking about me, about what raw produce I would like and then going and getting it. They didn't just push their hands into their pockets and pull out a wad of bills or hurriedly write a cheque.

From this little experience I'm inspired to think of money differently.

Money is a special, natural and nourishing gift from the Gods. It grows with ongoing, plentiful abundance all around me. It's my joy to grow it, nurture it, harvest it, share it and exchange it in the process of making life richer for myself and those around me.

Thinking like this, the next time I write a cheque or give money to someone in exchange for something, it could be an entirely different experience for both of us (giver and receiver):

(When paying phonebill): I exchange rich, healthy organically-grown produce from my abundant harvest with TSTT in return for crystal clear, enjoyable, meaningful, life-affirming communication.

(Paying internet bill): I exchange full, ripe fruits from my flourishing financial garden with Flow in return for an ever-enriching network of meaningful global connections, increased knowledge and pleasure and the ability to spread my wings and soar with effortless grace to wherever I want and need to go.

(When buying new clothes): My fertile, freshly flowering finances are a special delivery to this woman behind the cash register who is handing me a bag full of places-to-go-people-to-meet-feeling-and-looking-great. And the beautiful scent of my flowering finances wafts with gratitude to the old woman in India who sat for hours weaving the cotton that made it possible.

Heaven

Avocados are back in season and the ones I bought the other day are ripe.

Mangez

Lettuce
Parsley
Tomatoes
Cashews coated in masala
Raw Celery-onion-sunflower patties
Raw sunflower-raisin-flax-garlic 'bread' ripped into little pieces and scattered amidst everything
Olive oil

Yesterday's bill payments ... and a 'suncookie'

Yesterday none of the three stationery stores I went into had fluorescent pink Post-Its, so I ended up buying bright green ones to attach messages to the bills I was paying.

My credit card bill payment

My internet bill payment
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Later that day, as I drove to French conversational class (a new 6-week course we're doing with a woman from France called Aurelie), I actually found myself wondering with anticipation when next I would get a bill. Amazing that something as simple as Post-It notes can transform the bill payment process from a reluctant groan to an exciting event ... for me and perhaps also for the person processing the payment.

In other news, yesterday's heat was harsh. When electricity went off for the second time, I had just started dehydrating a batch of crackers (flax, sunflower, chive, onion, garlic). I took a piece and left it lightly wrapped (so birds wouldn't pick at it) in the sun on top of my car trunk. Within two hours, what was once a wet, spreadable mass, was quite firm to the touch.

The Vagina Dialogues

The sapodillas on the tree (under which I sat yesterday working on my Mystic Intervention piece) are plentiful. Recently I had a whole set in a brown bag ripening over a few days. As soon as they softened, I placed them in the fridge to chill. Nothing like a refreshing, sweet, succulent sapodilla on the kind of hot days we've been having. I love the taste and the texture.

They are soft enough that I don't need a knife to cut them. With a finger I easily open it to two halves, then remove the seeds and either scoop out the flesh with a spoon or eat it as is without any implements (skin and all). Yum.

The sapodilla tastes great as is or 'dressed up' as in this 'Sapodilla Dawn' dessert I made for mum's birthday last year

*

When I opened up the sapodilla in the first shot, it immediately reminded me of a vagina ... which leads me to say that tomorrow night (Saturday) some friends and I are going to see our friend Patti Ann Ali in the local play "The Vagina Dialogues".

Yummm

For lunch yesterday I had 'leftovers' from Sunday's Raw Yogic picnic.

What you're seeing in the image is a salad containing snow peas, lettuce, cucumber, celery, olives, tomatoes, parsley, chive, chadon beni.

The kidney looking things in the lower left corner are soaked cashew nuts coated in masala and dehydrated until just before the point of crunchiness.

The crumbly whitish-yellowish thing on top the salad is a delicious sprinkle of finely chopped cashews, garlic and sea salt.

The yellowish dollop to the left of it is some raw apple curry dressing.

The brown, wholesome looking pieces to the front right are my flax/sunflower/chive 'bread'. They are the consistency of burger patties and they are flexible. I didn't dehydrate them to the point of crunchiness (then they would be crackers). Some are the thickness of granola bars, others are flatter. They add great texture, body and taste.

The whole thing is bursting with all kinds of flavours, textures and colours. I think what would top it off is a slight touch of grated ginger mixed into either the salad or the apple curry dressing.

Melanie the Melon goes to Yoga and meets her cousins

Throughout the class, Melanie the Melon sat next to me in the Tibetan singing bowl. With all those vibrations she was getting, I'm sure her melons will be sweet and sacred.

*

Yesterday eight people were supposed to come to the Raw Yogic Class/Picnic., but as life would have it, unexpected things came up out of the blue: sudden flu, injured puppy to be rushed to vet, document to finish, car issues, etc. In the end, it was three of us.

Because there was a man drilling in the auditorium where we do yoga classes, we left and went to a quieter spot: the nearby home of one of the students, who is an artist. We had an intimate class in an outdoor covered space, followed by the raw yogic picnic. I had made a large mixed salad, Indian spice cashew nuts, flax/sunflower/herbal 'bread' (dehydrated), raw apple curry dressing and chopped garlic and almonds for garnishing. Desert was dates and slivers of dry coconut. After, we chatted about various things and got a fascinating artistic tour of our "host's" work. We left feeling refreshed, inspired and sated.

I had taken Melanie the Melon to the class (so she could get some vibes) along with the seedlings I was carrying for Maven, who wanted some. But because Maven was one of those who didn't come, the seedlings ended up having a different destiny. Dev, one of the students who was there, said he would take them home and plant them by the river. Isn't it perfect how things work out? Watermelons will thrive in that moist environment. It's exactly what they need.

Destined for a life by the riverside.
The watermelon seedlings, sat at the end of my yoga mat during the class.
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In a twist of coincidence, when we reached to Gerard's house ... at one point I noticed some watermelon seedlings on the ground, in the soil between the driveway paving. I cried out "Oh no!" ... thinking that the seedlings in the green pot had fallen out and been crushed when Dev was moving them from the car. Lo and behold, Gerard had been eating watermelon at some point and had tossed the seeds in pretty much the same way I had. He didn't even know what kind of sprouts they were.

It felt like Melanie and her siblings meeting their distant cousins.

Unfortunately Melanie's cousins look crushed, but I'm sure they're resilient

That's what I found amazing ... that I had carried watermelon seedlings to yoga and, in shifting our regular venue, we ended up in a place where there were other watermelon seedlings growing. It felt like confirmation of things being exactly as they're meant to be.