Time flys when I'm cooking

It's been two months since I posted to this blog because I've been doing more cooking than writing. That's a good thing! I could (and do) spend hours upon hours in the kitchen, chopping, creating, making up new dishes! Also, I've been hosting some pretty intense fitness walks, hikes and stair climbs too for the last several months and that has kept me busy, fit, and away from my writing. Sometimes I wonder where I get all the energy to do all this, but then I recall.....it's because I consume such wonderful, fresh, healthy foods. Yes, that's it. I'm so grateful to have such great local organic produce at my doorstep. Well, it's not really at my doorstep......it's just a mile and a half walk to the farmers market! I still love to walk to the Santa Monica Wednesday Farmers Market with my day pack, fill it up with fresh produce, then walk home. I carry about 22 pounds home.....just another way to stay fit. And oh, the sweet people and sights along the way. It just doesn't get much better for grocery shopping (except of course my local Whole Foods and Co-Op Markets which I love for all the "other stuff", particularly their "bulk" section.) Oh, I'll save that subject for another blog post.... another chapter of gratitude.

Food and Fitness

I admit it......I'm a foodie. I use to dislike that word thinking it was trendy and superficial but now I completely embrace it because it really describes me. I love food. I love buying it, organizing it in the kitchen cupboards and refrigerator, displaying it, cooking it, serving it to loved ones & clients, eating it and I even love cleaning up after it. I love good pots and pans, knives, farmers markets, the Food Channel on TV (although I don't watch it much....I'd rather be doing the cooking rather than watching someone else do it), my food processor and blender, all the toys and utensils I have and use to make things easy be it shredding, grinding, blending, straining, whatever. I'm not sure what came first....my love of food, or my love of fitness and exercise. This leads me to share how very passionate I am about staying fit and supporting others to do so as well. Because I love food and eat it often I suppose I could be overweight from all that. However, I admit I have always been a little vain, wanting to look good, to have a nice trim figure. Yes, it's true. To that end.....and trust me, I wasn't about to live my life on a diet, I have always partaken in regular and consistent exercise. The combination of good food and good exercise is clearly what keeps me healthy, happy and enjoying the two things I'm most passionate about -- food and fitness. I encourage you to eat well and stay fit. If you need encouragement or support getting on the path to better eating and regular exercise.....contact me.....I'm here for you. May you be healthy and happy.

A Very Good Year

I took some time today to reflect back through 2008 and I am filled with gratitude for the experiences, people, places and things I encountered. I am grateful for my good health and fitness in body, mind and spirit during this past year, where and how I get to live and the wonderful people I’ve met along the way. The highlights of my year…….

My niece, Pearl, married a good man named Chris and this is a wonderful thing. Their wedding was and their union is, just so special. I had fun catering the food for their wedding. Their baby, my new grand niece, Maya, arrived into the world and has brought much joy to many people. I feel blessed to be a part of their lives.  Isn't she cute!

I had the opportunity to cook for some amazing people, advance my skills, gain experience and have fun with it. And they actually paid me to do it!

I began experimenting with Thai style cooking, pretty much teaching myself. I developed some original Thai dishes, my specialty being “Thai Eggplant Cups” – a mildly flavored coconut vegetarian dish served right in the eggplant shell! And my Lemongrass Chicken isn’t bad either! I absolutely love marrying the Thai flavors of ginger, lemongrass, garlic, Thai basil and hot chili oils. How do you say “delicious” in Thai.?

This blog celebrated its first anniversary. Looking back now I see 29 articles that I’ve posted here. Isn’t it amazing what can happen one step (or one article, or one anything) at a time! I also see that I have built a compendium of food and dining ideas, recipes, and health and nutrition related white paper in such a way that I now have enough material for a book. (Next year’s project perhaps).

I started a weekly walking/fitness group which has turned into a complete blessing because of the wonderful people who have consistently showed up every Saturday morning. Not only have I made new friends, my walking friends have made friends amongst themselves as well, and this gives me great pleasure to know that I might possibly have had a little something to do with bringing like-minded people together in this town which is so busy with we who can sometimes alienate from each other. This Saturday morning walking group is an example of how wonderful the Internet is. Why? Because I was able to put this walking group together through something called “Meetup”. If you’ve never heard of it, check it out at www.meetup.com. Pick a topic that interests you, then join! It could change your life. It has definitely changed and enriched mine.

Click here to check out
The Santa Monica Canyon Stair Climbers!

Most importantly I want to thank the people (and one sweet canine) who have touched me in one way or another this past year: Pearl, Chris, Maya, Dave (may he rest in peace), Mom, DiAnn, Jacqueline, Sal, Danny, Mark, Mabel, Kathryn, Jeni, LeVon, Dr. Peace, Nicolette, Ruth, Catherine, Mitch, Taryn, Audrey, Gene, Todd, Eckhart Tolle, The Hicks, and all the people of the Universe who believe.

And, as Andy Rooney said: Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR FILLED WITH REWARDING MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB

A messsage from Rebecca

Welcome to my Blog which started as a place to share my passion for cooking, eating and the proliferation of a healthy lifestyle and continues to be a work in progress. The Internet has opened up so much for me, and for all of us, perhaps making it one of the best educational tools of the 21st Century and offering unlimited “Freedom of Speech” .…I like that I can write articles from the heart for others to enjoy. Throughout this Blog you’ll find a variety of topics….cooking, art, fitness, gratitude, attitude and of course healthy recipes. I hope you can relate. Enjoy, and please feel free to leave a comment by clicking "comment" at the bottom of any article.

Tapping into Passion

Cooking = art, therapy, love

My passion for cooking brings out my creativity. Being creative is rewarding on so many levels. Creating seems to come from some intuitive thought. I enjoy transforming raw food into a delectable feast of the senses. All is well when I am in that creative, intuitive space….it’s like art, therapy and love…it just feels so good. I feel free and clear in that space. You have experienced the power and energy of creativity and passion haven’t you? That sort of energy is transforming. Have you ever noticed that when you are in your passion…..you are joyful, grateful and optimistic. Eckhart Tolle, in his book “A New Earth” explains “awakened doing” as having three qualities: acceptance, joyfulness and enthusiasm. When I’m in my passionate cooking mode I see that I am in a high state of “awakened doing.” Tapping into that space of passion creates joy. There’s nothing quite like it. Enjoy.

Washing spinach - with passion
I began meditating several years ago and although I admit I have fallen off it on occasion, I always come back to it because it just feels good. When I meditate, I sit and I focus on my breath and I empty my mind. This might sound weird, but this evening as I was washing spinach, I noticed that I felt the same way as when I’m meditating. I was so focused on cleaning the spinach, that cleaning spinach was the absolute only thing I was doing. I wasn’t thinking, I was cleaning spinach. I’m grateful to have spinach to wash.

Mediterranean Swiss Chard

Here’s a wonderfully quick, simple, and highly nutritious side dish that pairs beautifully with a piece of poached or grilled fish, broiled chicken breasts, even Filet Mignon. Fresh Swiss chard is abundant at your local farmers markets right now. I recommend red or rainbow chard. Enjoy, and enjoy it often.

Ingredients:

2 large bunches Swiss chard

1 medium/large clove garlic, pressed

1 TBS balsamic vinegar

EVOO to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Bring lightly salted water to a rapid boil in a large pot. Wash chard leafs, cut off and discard bottom stems. Coarsely chop leafs then add to boiling water and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until tender.

Strain through colander and press out excess water. Keep warm and/or immediately toss with rest of ingredients. (Don't toss chard with dressing until you are ready to serve. Otherwise the flavor will become diluted.)

Serves 2

Happy 1st Anniversary Becsfarm

One year ago this blog came to be when a friend quipped "start a food blog." Blogging has been a wonderful writing, learning, thinking, creating and dreaming experience for me. It's been fun and empowering, even challenging at times. I've enjoyed sharing with you. As I look back on the last year I see this blog is really a journal of where I've been and where I am at in the present moment. I am eternally grateful for the new friends I've made along the way, my longtime friends and family, all the wonderful foods available to me, the well equipped kitchens I get to cook in, the beautiful neighborhood I live and play in and most certainly, my good health, energy, passion and enthusiasm. I feel blessed. Thank you friends, family, God, the Universe and Cyberville.

About quality

Two of my favorite savory cooking ingredients, which I use often, are Extra Virgin Olive Oil and aged Balsamic Vinegar. I like “first cold pressed” EVOO from Italy. For a real treat I buy organic. High quality aged balsamic vinegar and high quality EVOO have a grand taste. I suppose I got hooked on these two gems when I went to Italy last year and ate a lot of salads in Tuscany drizzled with EVOO and Balsamic. Once I returned to California I began purchasing really good EVOO and aged balsamic and I've enjoyed it ever since. I pay a little more for this, but a little goes a long way, savoring them for dishes where I use them uncooked, especially salads and salad dressings. (Cooking with high quality EVOO is a waste of high quality EVOO. Instead use every-day, regular EVOO for cooking.) Sometimes I amaze myself. I just looked in my kitchen cabinet and found 4 different bottles of EVOO and 3 different bottles of balsamic vinegar! Somehow I seem to know exactly which one to use for whatever I'm preparing.
A selection of EVOO and Balsamic Vinegars from my cupboard

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.............