And she loved beets ......

My dear Mother passed away recently. Her strength gave out to cancer, but her courage never died.
Mom had a quick wit, a wonderful sense of humor and as a member of the "Senior Advisory Board" for the City of West Hollywood, she carved new territory with her passionate stands on various senior advocacy issues. And, she loved the Russian beet soup known as "borscht". When I was a youngster, she served me cold borscht and I loved it. A lot of kids would turn there noses up to "cold beet soup", but not me......I was a true health foodie back then too. And so, I dedicate the following recipe to "Shirley".

This is a wonderfully robust and vibrant Beet Soup, (in a very different style from borscht), served hot.

3 medium fresh beets
1 whole head garlic
EVOO
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp honey
1 ½ to 2 cups vegetable broth
1 – 15 oz can diced tomatoes, pureed in blender

Wash and cube beets. Cut top off head of garlic. Toss both in EVOO. Spread out on baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes @ 350. Check for doneness – both beets and garlic should be soft. Remove from oven – allow to cool. Squeeze garlic out of it’s sleeves and set aside.
In a medium/large pot, sauté onion and red pepper in EVOO until soft. Stir in salt, ginger, honey, broth and tomatoes. Add beets, roasted garlic. (Add more broth if necessary). Bring to boil, lower heat, simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then puree half the soup in blender. Mix back into soup pan and re-heat.

I will miss you Mom....may you rest in peace

A new friend and a new recipe

I recently had the pleasure of meeting a kindred spirit named Kelly. Kelly is an active fitness and outdoor lover as well as a voracious healthy food eater so it's not hard to see why we hit it off. Yesterday she took me to a wonderful restaurant right in Westwood Village called "Native Foods". It's a Vegan restaurant, probably the best I've been to. We had an amazing portobella sandwich and a "bowl" of Moroccan flavored vegetables. It was just so delicious. Eating these healthy foods makes me feel good, full of energy and vitality.

After my Upper Body work out this morning I went home and made hummus. Since I don't care for things packed in cans, I buy bulk organic garbanzo beans at the health food store and I soak them overnight. Then I drain and rinse them real good. Then I add enough water to cover by 2" and I simmer for nearly an hour till they are tender but not mushy. Rinse well and drain. I store these air tight in the refrigerator for up to a week. I throw them in salads. I also spread some out on a cookie sheet and roast them (OMG, ask me for this recipe if you're interested). Today I decided to make hummus but I realized I only had about 1/3 cup of cooked garbanzo beans left, so I got the bright idea to make the hummus as usual but to also add 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds while processing. OMG......it was fabulous. I sliced up some organic carrots, Persian cucumbers and celery and had myself a little hummus platter for lunch. I LOVE TO COOK, AND I LOVE TO EAT. YAY!

For my next culinary trick I'm going to create bean cakes using the garbanzo beans. Perhaps I will top them with a homemade pesto sauce. Should be interesting! Did I mention I love to cook. he...he...he...

The Happy Couple

Weddings are such happy events, for sure, and this wedding was probably the most real, down-to-earth, unpretentious, yet beautifully classic one I’ve had the pleasure of attending. My darling niece, Pearl, and her now husband Chris, and the beautiful little baby Maya (my grand niece) spread their love to all and we definitely felt it. It was a delightful, sweet event with no glitches or hitches, uncomplicated and perfect in every way. I am honored to have witnessed it and happy to have added the element of some good food for it. Thanks to all who helped me in the kitchen. And congratulations Pearl and Chris.

...............and baby makes three.............

The sweet baby Maya in her wedding party dress

This little spirit showed up in our lives and brought love and harmony with her. She is such a gift to our family. Her Grandpa, Dave, said "I can't wait to take her to Disneyland"... (in a few years, of course, so she can really enjoy it).