Category: Healthy Food

Happy Easter:)

Post author By Kay T. Ananda
Post date April 5, 2015

Tonight, for our class, I read a passage which was also featured in my blog awhile back when I was upset over the hospitalization of Thich Nhat Hanh. Then later tonight, timely for it it Easter holiday, I did catch the last 30 minutes of that Japanese documentary of faith in Nepal that I referred to yesterday. It was a very on-hand, on-sight gritty* look at how people deal with human-ness in Nepal – believing in resurrection, Renewal, Resurgence … prayers of Hope and Faith play a large part in the day to day living there – it was about something universal, whether Buddhist, Hindu, Christian – whatever the faith, whatever we believe, it’s that innocence and purity of being able to BELIEVE – that’s probably what sets us, humans, apart from other species of life on this earth… Our ability to “believe” in something and find what’s sacred… and take solace from suffering. So once again, sharing when I get attached to the idea of sadness in saying “good bye”s. I hate saying good byes and not being able to see someone anymore so …sharing the sentiment again:

“This body is not me; I am not caught in this body, I am life without boundaries, I have never been born and I have never died. Over there the wide ocean and the sky with many galaxies All manifests from the basis of consciousness. Since beginningless (stuttering…) time I have always been free. Birth and death are only a door through which we go in and out. Birth and death are only a game of hide-and-seek.

So smile to me and take my hand and wave good-bye. Tomorrow we shall meet again or even before. We shall always be meeting again at the true source, Always meeting again on the myriad paths of life.”

― Thích Nhất Hạnh, No Death, No Fear – Believe this to be true:)
ox

With under-aged little people, so just passing by to get to Cheese Board…
Making a lot of detours …because we are lucky:)
A solution for the California drought problem – I love Berkeley:)
A bubble bath?! ha ha ha – it’s the tub:)
What’s on the outside can be deceiving… step in.
This is what you see… inside the building … No, it’s not Napa, it’s Berkeley for you.
It’s the best pizza I ever had…freshest pesto – flavors are just so SO vibrant!This area is called Goumet Ghetto for a reason… Gourmet Ghetto street scene during lunch with yoga-mat slinging passer-by…wish I had brought mine… I have to get my “yoga” in or …iUNHAPPY…
a lively band playing inside and right outside alfresco dining on the street.We were actually seated right in front of the drummer on that bench but scooted out to take this photo during their breakBut actually my favorite is this hole in the wall Juice Bar from the 70’s(!) where line forms for their vegetarian scrumptious lunch that reminds me of Wolf House Coop kitchen manager days… loved cooking for some 30 people back then – don’t know how I did it. Guess anything is possible if you have a commercial kitchen. Was a good training ground to deal with any kind of chaos? Then run over to Shattuck YMCA for yoga…to find the nature of the beast…Polenta with black beans and salsa option for vegans, or with cheese otherwise. Reminds me of my college years whenever I drop in this area… Nostalgia:) Memories come flooding back – for me – through sights, sounds and … scents of … food. Ha ha. Um, so who was trying to lose 10lbs to get back to that college-days body mass ? It’s all plant based; no meat so there’s hope?
Haahhh a big sigh … some day:)
Beautiful wisteria blooming framing their menu… a bit in awe – birthplace of California cuisine.

Beautiful People Beautiful Places Beautiful Rituals Healthy Food

Tending to the Fire at Shinobeau’s

Post author By Kay T. Ananda
Post date February 25, 2015

Relieved to hear I don’t have arthritis or anything serious per my MD but my wrists and my left foot are hurting me – my left foot was run over by a truck couple years ago (freak accident) so of course if I over use it, as I have been in this training, I start getting that odd pain … so re-revisted Judith Hanson Lasator’s anatomy book, especially about wrists and I think I figured out what might help alleviate this pain. Lucky, that I get to also ask Richard Rosen tomorrow – he is sure to have an insightful answer, I have faith. In fact, yoga has been so therapeutic, and really, far more interesting than seeing a physical therapist as the whole practice of yoga engages your mind. I am not bored while the same movement in regular stretching or pilates class – or repetition in physical therapy can be so dull…Now, if we could only make all this into a choreographed dance for joy:)

Here’s an OMG moment: I’ve always felt that arthritis (aka inflammation of connective tissue aspects of cartilage and bone) were related to our digestions.

– Bo Forbes

Well, actually, in Eastern medicine, it’s common knowledge as the belly, “HARA” or the “tanden” is central to our health; whereas the heart is not just an organ with four chambers that pumps blood but something more – if it means heart = “kokoro”, then it’s more than just a physical pump but … what we refer to as …mind, soul, spirit, love, truth … it’s an astral energy field as in Anahata chakra – as Shiva Rea says, we need to “tend to our fire” there. It’s kindled when you tend to it … I don’t know how I moved up from talking about the belly/digestion to the heart:)

Ah, I know – it’s because my heart warmed when I was informed that the proceeds from the following Lunar New Year’s gathering were all donated to a non-profit organization that helps radiation exposed kids in Fukushima …to give those kids gift of clean air and water – by allowing them to escape the dangers of radiation for even brief periods by inviting them to US with host families…the amount was probably nominal but it’s from that HEART:) It’s kindness and that comes from the … HEART.

Lunar cycle … revisited.

Vegetarian sushi, miso soup, salad and … healthy spread to warm our hearts and … bellies:)

5 elements in macrobiotic cooking…
Macrobiotic cooking is not necessarily vegetarian nor vegan, but goes by the principal Shinobeau san shares.*For details, check out Kushi Institute.

Shinobeau’s Vegan cheesecake with fresh strawberry sauce – she does not use any sugar but it’s “berry” sweeeettt:)

My amazing Healing Foods Chef, Shinobeau hosted a lovely ritual to celebrate the Lunar New Year and New Moon with Jan Cerone, crystal bowls musician, as a special guest for the auspicious occasion. Jan’s crystal bowls emit vibrations that echo within us like…soft rain… then rushing sounds of the waterfall … and you just feel so refreshed listening to the sounds… perfect way to usher in the new year. As usual Shinobeau prepared all vegan feast. Shinobeau hails from Japan with so much knowledge and training in the food preparation that heals – she has hosted detox sessions throughout the year and unlike what it sounds – “detox” – it’s just joy to “detox” with her cuisine that she prepares – you do not feel deprived at all. Wish she was nearby, but visiting her place in the woods, to me is pure delight. I treat it as a mini-retreat.

Thank you both for a beautiful New Moon/New Year celebration. I feel so blessed for the opportunity to clear out the stagnant energy in my nadis and revive my chakras throughout my body. Here’s Jan’s site* if you are interested in the magical sounds of the crystal bowls:) Just letting out a big sigh… it’s magical. An honor to be in the same circle as these other goddesses who graced that space that day in the misty forest.

(* I myself just visited Jan’s site – surprised at the extent of her activities – I had no idea.
Apparently a former registered nurse, a vocalist, and a mother to a Reiki master studying in Japan, her life experience is immeasurable.)

For most healing and reviving foods, Shinobeau has catered beautiful and delicious bento boxes and makes amazing food for any gathering
as reflected by her passionate principle in all she cooks up in the kitchen – here’s her contact info.:

Wanowa
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
Shinobeau@iCloud.com

Healthy Food

Indian Dinner in Tokyo

Post author By Kay T. Ananda
Post date February 21, 2015

Oddly, despite all that eating I did in Tokyo, I actually lost weight which goes to show how healthy Japanese food is and how portion control is important. I ate Japanese food at every opportunity – sushi, onabe, oden, etc. – at every meal except when my girlfriends took me to (at my request) a delicious Indian restaurant near Tokyo JR station. Indian food in Tokyo is very good and when I told the chef that I was from Silicon Valley and thought his food was better than the Silicon Valley Indian food, he was beaming – and it wasn’t a flattery – it was true. The flavors were delicate and well spiced…(but portions small – the Japanese standard). I am always so impressed with Japanese baked goods and here at Indian eatery as well. Best Nan and dosa…

Last to leave being last to get seated… late dinner is not my thing but:) making exceptions…chefs are waiters are cleaning up so … a hint that it’s time to go.

authentic chai with shared sweets… petit sizes…

The place was packed and could not get a reservation until 8:30pm… Here’s the link to the restaurant site – menu in English as well … Click the restaurant name: Dhaba India
Or you can have breakfast, lunch and dinner – all Japanese, everyday:) but so much variety in mega-city, that is, Tokyo:)