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  simplyleda 10:31 am on February 4, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  The Essence of Being One

   

  As I sat down to write this month’s article I realized I felt less than inspired…nothing came…at all.

  This was rather unusual so I walked away from my laptop and waited.  A few days later a wonderful teacher and mentor of mine posed a question to me.  I found I could not answer right away and wanted to just sit with it.  A day or two later a very clear and rather profound answer surfaced.  As I wrote, never, mind you, with the intention of publishing it – after all this was my own journey stuff, but yet, here it was – I felt a sudden urge to put it out there – to share it with you.  So here it is…and to whomever this is meant to touch, bless you.

  What if you really believed that you and God are one? What would that mean?

  It means that I am not separate that I am truly never alone and therefore have nothing ever to fear.  It is “knowing” that there isn’t anything I must “do” to be perfect, I already am.  I have merely forgotten becoming lost in the illusion.  It means I realized that even in this imperfect world we currently live in, even in these perceived imperfect circumstances that I am in…it really is perfect.  It is perfect in regards to the plan that my soul embarked upon before entering the earth plane;  living a specific human existence which creates the “perfect” circumstances for the evolution of my soul.  This is why we are ultimately here.  What I need to remember is to always look at my circumstances from this knowing and this knowing breeds acceptance of what is - even if I don’t like it.  God has said that when we fight so desperately against certain circumstances and the universe still keeps us there…there is something “big” to remember and/or learn about oneself. 

  It also means that I am one with everything around me.  I have felt this many a times, especially when I am in nature, which is why I crave it so much; when I save my left over bread making it crumbs and feeding it to the seagulls, when I re-pot a dying plant giving water and nutrient dense soil and placing it in the light, when I bring a cumbersome plant indoors to save it from the cold winter and it takes up half my room, when the singing of the birds awaken me, when I smile at a stranger on the street and say good morning, when I give a homeless man money for food, when I pet my neighbor’s dog, when I accommodate my friends and help them out with their kids and mostly when I embrace and let go all of the “supposed” hurts inflicted upon me by those I am in conflict with (I’m still working on this last one).

  It means great self-love, internal freedom, internal bliss, endless joy, no matter where or what.  It means knowing Who I AM and once believing it; being able to maintain a certain emotional detachment from my circumstances knowing they are there to show me, to help me remember Who I Am without defining Who I Am.  In every moment, I choose Who I Am by what I say, do, think – the pain and suffering comes in when these three things are not in alignment with our spiritual beings but rather with the illusion.  Being one with God means knowing all this and creating from this knowing my next human steps – Who do they serve, God and myself or the illusion and ego?

  “Surrendering” is not giving up on something or someone but rather owning all parts of ourselves; good and bad.  I am realizing that even in my own imperfections, I am still perfect in the eyes of God…a relief I cannot begin to explain.  It’s ok to be imperfect, if God loves and embraces me as I am in this illusion, so can I - for if we are truly one, then I also can embrace and love myself as I am. 

   

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  simplyleda 10:28 am on February 4, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

   

  Food Focus: Cacao

   Cacao, a small and handsome evergreen tree is native to South America.  It grows very close to the equator in an area sometimes referred to as the “Cacao Belt”.  Today, though, cacao trees are cultivated in many countries.  There are four major types of cacao trees and the cacao bean flavor depends on where it is grown.   Cacao was named Theobroma by Linnaeus, the word meaning ‘food of the gods,’ so called for the goodness of its seeds. When the cacao fruits/pods are ripe they are cut open and the beans, surrounded by their sweetish acid pulp are transferred to ferment. The fermentation process provides the chocolate flavor - the longer the process the stronger the flavor. Afterwards the beans are then sun-dried or steam dried in a shed.  The beans are then polished and packed for domestic consumption or for export to cocoa and chocolate manufacturers.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Photo by Dave Boyer-Everystock                      

  Before making cocoa or chocolate the beans are roasted to develop the final chocolate flavor. The shells are then removed and the beans are ready for making chocolate paste, cocoa, cocoa butter and chocolate.

  The beans are then ground and heated making cocoa liquor (this hardens to unsweetened chocolate).  When pressure is added to the liquor the fat separates creating cocoa butter. As the grinding process continues cocoa powder as well as the many variations of chocolate are then created; such as milk chocolate, white chocolate, semisweet chocolate and bittersweet chocolate, in some cases using additional ingredients.

  Sometimes the cocoa powder is made alkaline by a treatment with potassium carbonate; this is called dutched cocoa and lends a darker color and a stronger flavor. American recipes usually call for natural unsweetened cocoa powder, which has a higher acidity.

  There have been many studies linking the cocoa bean with health benefits. They contain large amounts of polyphenols with antioxidant properties called flavinoids. These flavinoids reduce the blood’s ability to clot and thus reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks.  The darker chocolate with the most concentrated cocoa will be the most beneficial. Cocoa beans are approximately 50% fat and contain very small amounts of caffeine. They also contain phenylethylamine; an antidepressant similar to the body’s own dopamine and adrenaline. Cocoa and chocolate can increase the level of serotonin in the brain causing us to feel good.  Cocoa beans are rich in a number of essential vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and pantothetic acid, minerals include; magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, manganese and sulfur.

  Because of the chemicals and sensory properties of chocolate many people find them psychologically addictive, although it is not physically addictive. What is true is that cacao; especially eaten raw can increase your focus and alertness and contains nutrients to keep you happy. As a note, statistics show that the average American consumes nearly 11 pounds of chocolate per year.  Keep it dark and in small portions and you’ll reap the benefits without all the added fats.

  References:  Cacaoweb.com, botanical.com, rawcacao.com

   
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  simplyleda 10:23 am on February 4, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  As appeared in January Newsletter

   

  Recognizing the Voice of Fear                         by Leda Anagnostopoulos

  Feel the fear and do it anyway.  - Susan Jeffers, 1988   I’ve gown certain that the root of all fear is that we’ve been forced to deny who we are. - Frances Moore Lappe, 2004   I have included both of these quotations above because both are indeed accurate.  The first one runs along the lines of advice on how to overcome the voice of fear and the second an explanation, if you will, of where fear comes from to begin with.  Let’s take the second instance, where does fear in it’s raw form stem from?  We are spiritual beings living a physical existence - we have heard this repeated many times over.  This basically means that our natural state is one of spirit, not humanness.  To enter into this dense earth plane we temporarily take the form of a physical human body, yet in essence we are still spiritual beings.  The spiritual being before entering the earth plane dwells in the Realm of the Absolute, here on earth; is the Realm of the Relative. Thus is created a duality of both absolute and relative, spirit and humanness, love and fear.  Both of these co-exist within us as we make our way through our chosen lives.  Both love and fear have a voice.  We all know it - they are constantly having an internal dialogue in our head all day long, from choosing what we wear, to what job we’ll take, to where we should live etc.  All day long we make decisions and both of these voices are always a part of it.  So what does each voice sound like?  In certain circumstances they are obvious but here is where it’s gets tricky.  Fear is very subtle and can mask itself as logic, established fact, worry, anxiety, stress, guilt etc.  Don’t fall into its trap, paralyzing yourself from living your life to it’s fullest.  Do these phrases sound familiar to you?    I’ve never been good at ______ (fill in the blank). It’s too complicated - I can’t figure it out It always comes down to money, I can’t do anything without it I can’t do what I really want, I don’t have time I am worried something will go wrong It’s too good to be true I am too much of this and not enough of that Oh, that’s just dreaming, it will never come true Look at what he/she did to me, it wasn’t my fault    The list is endless as you see and I am sure you can add much more of your own.  Meditate on this for a while and you will see that every conversation you have with yourself or others begins with a fear-based thought passing itself off as something else and from these thoughts and all thoughts we thus create our reality.  Would you not rather have success, love, daily fulfillment in your lives instead of endless struggle in one form or another?  Fear has told you that endless struggle on some level is “just the way life is”.  But the truth is that it is not the way it is, nor is it a part of our essential nature.  We have just come to believe that it is so.  We have been taught to live in fear. We have even been taught to fear God, the source of all love…a loving God who demands/instills fear? Think about it.   So here comes the first quote.  Listen and pay attention to your thoughts and words.  What are you thinking? Saying?  Ask yourself this question: Is this Who I Really AM? Every time you are about to decide on something ask yourself this question. Pause. Think. Then Decide.   Fear is the energy which contracts, closes down, draws in, runs, hides, hoards, harms. Love is the energy which expands, opens up, sends out, stays, reveals, shares, heals.   Which will you decide to choose?     *Susan Jeffers has a wonderful book and audio CD entitled “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”.  It is a wonderful practical tool to help you recognize the voice of fear and learn to turn it off.  I recommend the audio CD; for your commute, at the gym etc.  It is much more effective when you hear her say it.

   
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  simplyleda 10:53 pm on January 24, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  

  Grapefruits are for Winter

  The forgotten grapefruit.  Do you remember the grapefruit diet?  Millions of people consumed this citrus fruit in an attempt to shed unwanted pounds.  The good news is that, yes, grapefruit does assist in weight loss but it also provides some well needed nutrition and is in abundance at this time of year.

  The grapefruit belongs to the citrus fruit family and, as with other fruits in this category, it is high in Vitamin C, folic acid and potassium while being low in fat, sodium and cholesterol free.  This basic food category is credited with reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases while the Vitamin C prevents scurvy, promotes healthy gums and tissue, and is critical to wound healing.  All grapefruits have fiber with counts registering at about 6 grams per half fruit.  The pink grapefruit is relatively rich in antioxidants while the ruby red type is rich in lycopene, a phytochemical that keeps LDL, bad cholesterol, in check.

  The fruit is medium to large size and maybe be flattened at both ends.  The skin is mostly yellow but can have shades of green, white or pink.  The skin color is not a sign of ripeness as the grapefruit is fully ripe when picked.  There are three basic varieties that are gown here in the US:

  • Marsh White - white to amber colored flesh and almost seedless
  • Ruby Red - pink to reddish colored flesh with few seeds
  • Flame - red flesh and mostly seedless

  The reason the grapefruit is such an aid to weight loss is due to a flavonoid compound called naringin.  It gives the fruit its characteristically bitter flavor and blocks the uptake of fatty acids into the cells.  Although delicious the juice of the grapefruit contains no fiber.

  Primarily the grapefruit is eaten raw or juiced but it is also used in many salads pairing wonderfully with avocado and fennel, in marinades or dressings and even some desserts.  Recently I have seen it used in cooking savory dishes and the results are wonderfully complex flavors.  Try it and see.

   
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  admin 12:51 pm on January 7, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  Kudos to Iron Chef America & Lady Obama

   

  Did anyone see Iron Chef America the other night? 

  Kudos to the show and the Food Network for promoting and supporting organic, local and seasonal vegetables to America via Lady Obama and the White House Garden.  What an inspiration to the rest of the country.  Finally, the word is spreading and actually being heeded, not just in consumption of such produce but of creating a garden of your own.

  The White House garden is beautiful.  Didn’t you just want to jump through the screen and pick some of your own fare?  Imagine how healthy and mentally acute we would be if we all ate that way everyday.  If each home had it’s own smaller scale garden and each school as well, getting the kids to tend it as part of their school day.  What would it do for the future of this Earth? And our childrens? 

  Think about it.  Think about it.  Think about it.!!

  Now let’s get busy!!

   
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  simplyleda 11:03 am on December 4, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  Kids Recipe of the Month

  This is a great cookie recipe that I have made time and time again. The original recipe is from the King Arthur Whole Grains Baking book, but I have adapted it a bit. The cookies are 100% whole wheat, roll out beautifully and bake up sweet and crisp.  They are sturdy enough for easy decorating with no crumbling.  The kids will love it!      Thin & Wheat Crisp Cookies   Prep Time: 10 minutes Yields: 6 1/2 dozen - 2 1/2 cookies   Ingredients:  1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (preferable organic) 3/4 cup + 2 tbs raw sugar 3/4 tspn salt 1/4 cup orange juice 2 cups traditional whole wheat flour  1/2 tspn baking powder 2 tspn vanilla extract     Directions: Beat the butter, sugar and salt in a medium bowl, then add the orange juice, vanilla, flour and baking powder.  Divide dough into 2 equal pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease or line with parchment paper two baking sheets.  Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll out into 14″ diameter and cut with favorite holiday cookie cutters.  Gather and roll scraps together using all the dough.  Place cookies on sheet.  Can be fairly close together since they do not spread much.  Bake the cookies, reversing the pans midway through, till their brown around the edges 14-15 minutes.  Remove and cool.  Decorate as desired.

   
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  simplyleda 11:02 am on December 4, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  Recipe of the Month

  This is a rather unusual recipe for sweet potatoes.  I came across it in the Nov 2002 issue of Bon Appetit, but, of course, I have revised it quite a bit and turned it into a casserole.  I will be posting it on the blog, so please write in and let me what you think! Enjoy!!         Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries, Pears and Pecans   Ingredients: 4 sweet potatoes (yams)  1 cup dried cranberries Port  (or water) 5 tbs butter  3 large firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2″ cubes 1 1/4 cup spiced pecans, chopped  4 tspns peeled minced ginger 1/2 tspn cinnamon 5 tspns packed dark brown sugar 2 tspns plus 2 tbs balsamic vinegar 1/2 tspn salt   Directions: Wash potatoes and pierce in several places with a fork. Place on foil lined baking sheet and bake 55 min in a 350 degree oven until tender.  Remove and cool slightly. Meanwhile, place cranberries in a small bowl and pour enough port over to cover (you can use water if you prefer). Heat slightly and let stand 10 min. Melt 2 tbs butter in large skillet over medium-high heat, add brown sugar and pears and saute until golden and tender (about 4 min or so).  Stir in ginger, cinnamon, cranberries and pecans and saute one more minute.  Mix in 2 tspns vinegar and 1/2 tspn salt.   Peel the potatoes and place flesh in a bowl, discard skins.  Mash together and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Melt remaining 3 tbs butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Whisk in remaining 2 tbs vinegar and pour over sweet potatoes.  Mash to combine well.   Spread sweet potato in one layer in a casserole dish and top with cranberry mixture. Serve warm. Yield: 4-6 servings

   
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  simplyleda 10:56 am on December 4, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  Food Focus: Sweet Potatoes

  Sweet potatoes are on everyone’s mind this season. They seem to go hand-in-hand with the holidays, and fortunately, eating these and other sweet vegetables needn’t be limited to this time of year. Cravings for sweets can be greatly reduced by adding sweet vegetables; such as sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, beets, squash, turnips and rutabagas, to your daily diet. Sweet potatoes elevate blood sugar gently, rather than with the jolt delivered by simple refined carbohydrates, so there’s no energy crash after you eat them and they are stars in nutritional value as well.  They are an especially exceptional source of Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, very high in Vitamin C and manganese and when eaten with the skin they deliver more fiber than oatmeal. They are also a good source of potassium, copper, Vitamin B6 and iron.   The sweet potato has yellow or orange flesh, and its thin skin may either be white, yellow, orange, red or purple. The intensity of it’s yellow or orange color is directly correlated to its beta-carotene content.  Sometimes it is shaped like a potato, being short and thick with rounded ends, while other times it will be longer with tapered ends. Many times the sweet potato is confused with the yam.  Yams are orange colored and they are in fact sweet potatoes.  Yams are most usually eaten during the holidays although available year round.  They offer a creamy consistency that is satisfying and soothing, as are all sweet root vegetables.   Due to it’s many nutritional properties sweet potatoes are healing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and help to remove toxins from the body. They can increase the quantity of milk in lactating women and can lessen cramps and pre-menstrual symptoms.   When buying, select firm potatoes without any bruises, cracks or soft spots and at home store them loose in a cool, dark place; they will last up to a week.     *References: IIN, WH Foods, Food Reference

   
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  simplyleda 10:53 am on December 4, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

  Be, Do, Have                         by Leda Anagnostopoulos

  To be, or not to be: that is the question. - William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Act 3 Scene 1)   We hear much these days about aligning the three aspects of ourselves; the mind, body, spirit.  But what does that really mean?  Is it just a coined phrase of some state of being that is unattainable? Is it some New Age mumbo jumbo giving us yet another “thing” to do, in addition to everything else we “should” be doing?  Actually, it is none of those things. In fact, it is our natural state of being; inherent to us as the air we breathe. We have merely forgotten what it is to be in alignment because we are constantly trying “to do” things as opposed to just being.  We are very much a “to do” kind of society. We make lists and lists of all the things we “have to do” from chores, to behaviors, to physical fitness etc. These lists take on a life of their own distracting us and leaving little room for anything else.  That “anything else” is the simple state of being.  As a society we have reversed the Be Do Have paradigm.  We feel that we need to “have” something (more time, money etc) in order to “do” something (that which we really want - a vacation, home, relationship etc) in order to “be” something (happy, peaceful, in love etc). The truth is that all we simply need to do is to “be” the thing we most want to “have”  (the peacefulness, the love, the happiness), then “do” things from this state of being and the rest will follow; that is, we will soon see that this will bring us everything we wanted to ”have”, hence Be, Do, Have.   This paradigm is a creative process which follows Natural law nothing more.  Ask yourself what it is you want to “have”, then just go straight to “being” those things. If you want to “have” happiness, then start “being” happy right where you are. But, you will ask “how can I be happy (or anything else) if I do not have what I need in order to be happy?  The answer?  Act as if you are happy and you will draw it to you.  This doesn’t mean to be fake, it means to simply act as if you already have those things you want from a place of truth and sincerity.   Now let’s take this one step further, for this process of creation to work your mind, body and spirit have to be united in thought, word, and deed/action. Remember the universe is like a giant xerox machine.  Think, state and act upon what it is you want to have and it will be made manifest.  The key is to think about what you want, then state it as if it has already happened. The most powerful words in the universe are “I am”.  Therefore, state “I am happy or I am having a new relationship (or whatever else it is you want) and then act on that from a place of truth and sincerity.  For example, you want happiness? go out and make others happy. You want a relationship? Be the cause for someone else to have one. You want a house? Help someone else find a house.   By being that which you want to have, and by uniting the three aspects of yourself and acting upon it you become a very powerful creative force indeed.

   
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  simplyleda 1:21 pm on November 4, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  

   

  Finding Gratitude during Thanksgiving

  After much struggle and hardship the 53 remaining pilgrims were finally able to reap the rewards of their efforts with a bountiful harvest. Their gratitude was expressed through prayer and celebration; and with abundance.  The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days and to the table came and sat both settler and Native American, officer and peasant, adults and children.  It mattered not.  All that mattered was the joy of the moment and the expanded inclusive feeling of gratitude.    I’d like you to reflect for a moment: do you think the pilgrims were grateful for more than their harvest? What did their struggle and hardship ultimately teach them to be grateful for?   The custom amongst the pilgrims were to “give thanks” as the occasion arose - a very important lesson to the rest of us living in the 21st century. When do we express our gratitude?  We unconsciously say “thank you” throughout our day to all of those who provide us with a service. But what are we grateful for?    Most of us are grateful for our health, our homes, jobs, spouses, children…in short, all the things that we love and brings us some form of joy. Still, some of us are grateful for the rain, the sun, the air that we breathe, the ability to arise out of bed everyday,  the very gift of life itself.  All of this is wonderful, of course, but gratitude should not just be given for the things that please or accommodate us.  Life, as we know, is a great polarity - what of our obstacles? our struggles? our frustrations? our conflicts? How many of us are grateful for those? Now, I know you might be thinking “what? are you kidding?”  But, in truth, what of these things?  We should be most grateful for our adversities in life because they are our greatest teachers. They force us to look within at our attitudes and beliefs.  Every adversity should be seen as giving us meaningful information about our life and it’s path or purpose, not as negativity.  An external adversity always represents an inner belief.  Are you willing to take a look at that internal belief and make the necessary changes?   Take a moment and ask yourself these questions:  What is this obstacle trying to show me? What in my belief system is causing me to struggle so much? What belief do I hold that has attracted this situation into my life?   Once you have uncovered the meaning behind your adversities you can then let them go and express gratitude to the situations and persons involved, knowing that there is no real conflict only lessons to be learned.   This Thanksgiving give gratitude to those people and situations in your life that have caused you to move out of your comfort zone and release an inner belief you held that no longer serves you.