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New Mutants D&D: Part 2

Posted by: iamrman

Here are the rest of the New Mutants as Dungeons and Dragons characters.

Read more... )



comments



  • group: new mutants
  • medium: fanart
  • char: cannonball/sam guthrie
  • char: karma/xian coy manh
  • char: mirage/danielle moonstar
  • char: magma/amara aquilla

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New Mutants D&D: Chapter 1- Road of Bandits

Posted by: iamrman

People seemed interested in my New Mutants Dungeons and Dragons story, so here is the first chapter.

Read more... )



comments



  • char: magik/illyana rasputin
  • medium: fanart
  • char: black cat/felicia hardy
  • char: mirage/danielle moonstar
  • char: wolfsbane/rahne sinclair
  • char: phoenix/marvel girl/rachel summers
  • char: cypher/doug ramsey
  • group: new mutants
  • char: sunspot/roberto da costa
  • char: magma/amara aquilla

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Jessica Jones has a heart to heart moment with her kidnapper daughter

Posted by: brerrabbit

Read more... )



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  • char: purple girl/kara killgrave
  • creator: filipe andrade
  • title: jessica jones
  • creator: kelly thompson
  • char: jewel/jessica jones

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Hugo: Best Fan Writer - starting point

The finalists are:

Another category in which everything is free to read online. Some of the fan writers already helpfully have their Hugo packets prepared and easily found on their respective sites too, which is pretty impressive. My starting point is that I sometimes read James Davis Nicoll's reviews and I've read some of Bogi Takács's work, but I haven't routinely read any of these finalists.



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Raw Food Recipe Menu: September 27, 2015













Breakfast
Pumpkin Spice Smoothie
serves 2 ~ $.70 per serving





ingredients
  • 2 carrots ($.30)
  • 2 bananas, sliced and frozen ($.40)
  • 1 apple, peeled and chopped ($.50)
  • 1 tablespoon agave ($.20)
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • water for blending, about 1 cup

directions

In a blender, puree all ingredients until very smooth. A high speed blender will smooth out all the little carrot bits, and a less high powered one will leave a bit of pulp. If you're very opposed to pulp, juice the carrots instead.






nutritional information: calories: 165 fat: 0 gr carbs: 47 gr protein: 2 gr








Lunch
Apple Avocado Soup
serves 2 ~ $1.44 per serving





ingredients

  • 1 avocado, chopped ($.88)
  • 2 medium apples, peeled and chopped ($1.29)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped onion
  • handful arugula leaves ($.50)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)
  • 2 cups water, for blending
  • minced onion
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • red pepper flakes directions


directions
  1. Set aside a few arugula leaves for garnish.
  2. In a blender, combine the avocado, apples, chopped onion, arugula leaves, olive oil, and water, and puree until very smooth.
  3. Salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with a few chopped arugula leaves, some finely minced onion, and red pepper flakes.
  4. nutritional information


calories: 275 fat: 18 gr carbs: 42 gr protein: 7 gr







 Dinner
Taco Salad
serves 2 ~ $3.55 per serving

 


ingredients
  • 1/4 cup walnuts ($1.00)
  • 1 large tomato ($1.00)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 head romaine ($2.30)
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced ($.20)
  • 1 small jalapeno, sliced
  • 1 ripe avocado ($.1.00)
  • black olives ($.50)
  • green olives ($.50)

  • 4 tablespoons cashew cream ($.60) {recipe below}

directions
  • Make the walnut taco meat first and set aside.
  • In a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, pulse the walnuts, half a tomato, cumin, and salt until chopped but still a little chunky.
  • To a bed of chopped romaine, add the walnut taco meat, the other half of tomato (chopped), sliced onion, a bit of sliced jalapeno, chopped avocado, and olives. 
  • Top with a couple scoops of cashew cream.

cashew cream

  • 1/2 cup cashews ($2.00)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice ($.20)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Blend all ingredients in small blender until very smooth. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

nutritional information

calories: 398      fat: 30 gr      carb: 26      protein: 13





Dessert

Maple Bacon Ice Cream
serves 2 ~ $1.00 per serving 






ingredients

  • 1 zucchini, sliced 1/4" thick ($.70)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup ($.40)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar ($.10)
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

directions

Slice the zucchini into strips about 1/4" thick. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Toss with the zucchini until well coated, then dehydrate for several hours or overnight, until just a little bit crunchy but pliable.







Tear the zucchini bacon into pieces and serve over vanilla banana ice cream with maple syrup. To make the ice cream, slice and freeze four bananas. When ready to use, grind them in a food processor with one teaspoon vanilla and a splash of almond milk. Process until smooth, which may take a few minutes and some scraping down on the sides. This will cost about $.30 per serving.



nutritional information: calories: 298 fat: 14 carbs: 45 protein: 2 gr


 
 
Any Time Snack
Kitchen Sink Smoothie
serves 2 ~ $1.70 per serving

ingredients
  •  2 big handfuls greens (kale, romaine, etc) ($.75)
  • 3 bananas, sliced and frozen ($.75)
  • 1 cup blueberries ($1.00)
  • 2 tablespoon ground flax seeds ($.20)
  • 4 tablespoons hemp protein powder ($.90)
  • about 2 cups water for blending

I love making big, sweet, hearty green smoothies in the morning, and this is what I had this morning. I'm pretty sure I put just about everything I had in it, hence the name "(everything but the) Kitchen Sink Smoothie!"

My blender is small and weak, poor thing (but has lasted forever), so I blend my greens first. If you don't have a VitaMix or other high powered blender, this might work better for you, too. They get pretty smooth if I process them for a minute or two.

I also used Manitoba Harvest Hemp Pro 50, 50% Protein Powder, 32-Ounce which is my favorite hemp powder. Manitoba Harvest leaves all the good omega-3s intact.

Just blend everything well until smooth and serve.


nutrition information:      calories: 342      fat: 9 gr      carb: 60 gr      protein: 14 gr      fiber: 13 gr





Total cost for the day: $8.39
total calories: 1478
total fat: 71 gr
total carb: 220 gr
total protein: 38 gr




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Turmeric Dressing: Raw Food Recipe





Salad with Turmeric Dressing
serves 2 ~ $2.55 per serving



Turmeric is a root related to ginger. It's a little hot and spicy, which makes it delicious. It's active ingredient, curcumin, is also a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that could improve all sorts of things from arthritis to diabetes. Buy the fresh root and use peeled and grated, or buy the dried powder which is available at most groceries. I found mine at my local farmer's market.

Like most foods, it works synergistically. The absorption of curcumin is greatly enhanced by black pepper and it boosts the absorption of omega-3s, so I've added some pepper and flax oil. If you don't have flax oil on hand, substitute olive oil or just omit. 

This delicious and super healthy turmeric dressing can be used over any salad, as I've done here, but is also delicious on just about anything else from mixed veggies to rice bowls. It also works as a great vegetable dip.

ingredients

dressing

  • 3 tablespoons tahini ($.30)
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice ($.60)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave (can substitute stevia or omit) ($.10)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ($.10)
  • 1 tablespoon flax oil ($.20)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce ($.10)
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric ($.10)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder ($.10)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • 1 teaspoon cilantro flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)

salad

  • 1 head romaine or other lettuce ($1.80)
  • 2 tomatoes ($1.00)
  • 1 cucumber ($.50)
  • 1 small onion, sliced ($.20)



directions

Place all dressing ingredients in a small blender and puree briefly until well mixed. Use as desired. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days in an air tight container.








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Apple Mango Smoothie: Raw Food Recipe



Apple Mango Smoothie
serves 1 ~ $2.10 per serving

ingredients

  • 1 apple, washed (peeled if not organic) ($.60)
  • 1 cup mango,chunks, fresh or frozen ($1.00)
  • 1 banana, sliced and frozen
  • 1 handful kale leaves ($.50)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup ice
  • water for blending (more or less depending on how thick you like it)

This is just a super simple way to enjoy some of the apples that are in season right now! Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until very smooth and enjoy!


nutritional information
calories: 230
fat: 4 gr
carbs:47 gr
protein: 6 gr




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Red Pepper Pasta: Raw Food Recipe




Red Pepper Pasta
serves 2 ~ $2.80 per serving


  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced ($.70)
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced ($.70)
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced ($1.50)
  • 1 cup black or kalamata olives ($1.50)
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion ($.20)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil ($.20)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice ($.40)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ($.20)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave (optional, for those who like a touch of sweet) ($.20)
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 1-2 medium sized zucchini, spiralized 

This is so easy and so good. Prepare it up to a day in advance and them the vegetables marinate and soften.

Prepare the red and yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, olives, and onion and place in a medium sized bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, syrup, onion powder, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over the prepared vegetables. Allow to marinate for at least a half hour, but it can marinate as long as a day.

When ready to eat, simply pour the marinated veggies and marinade over a portion of spiralized zucchini noodles and toss.


 

nutritional information:
calories: 389
fat: 23 gr
carbs: 35 gr
protein: 11 gr



I use my spirilizer as much as any kitchen tool I have (except my VitaMix, of course!!). The Paderno brand one I have can be found on Amazon HERE, or in most stores that sell kitchen supplies.













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Raw Chocolate Fudgesicles: Raw Food Dessert

 
Raw Chocolate Fudgesicles
serves 4 ~ $.95 per serving
 
 
OK, so this is something that was stored in my recipe files from back in the summer (that flew by SO fast!) when it was hot and sticky out. But hey, chocolate, right? It's still delicious and fun ... ! I love chocolate smoothies and pops all year long. I've even been known to enjoy a frosty chocolate smoothie in the jacuzzi so as to not freeze my bum off ... shh, don't tell. 
  

fudgesicles
 
  • 2 bananas, sliced and frozen ($.60)
  • 1/2 cup almond milk ($.40)
  • 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
  • pinch salt
  • few drops of stevia, if more sweetness is desired
 
 
 
chocolate shell
 
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil ($.80)
  • 1/4 cup raw cacao powder or cocoa powder ($.80)
  • 1/4 cup finely ground coconut palm sugar ($.80)
  • pinch salt 
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios ($.40)
 
 
 
directions
 
  1. Place all fudgesicle ingredients into  blender and puree until very smooth. Add more almond milk or water if needed to facilitate blending. 
  2. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for several hours until fully frozen. 
  3. Prepare the chocolate shell coating. 
  4. Place all the chocolate shell coating ingredients into a small bowl and stir well until smooth.
  5. Remove the fidgesicles from the freezer and pop them out of their molds.
  6. Dip the fudgescicles into the hard chocolate shell, or drizzle it over them to coat. 
  7. Just heating the coconut oil up enough to melt it and not any warmer will yield the best results. If needed, gently remelt the chocolate hard shell. 
  8. Add a sprinkle of chopped pistachios or other chopped nut, if desired. Cacao nibs also work well.
  9. Any leftovers can be wrapped and stored in the freezer for a week or so.
 
 
nutritional information:
calories: 195
fat: 10 gr
carbs: 25 gr
protein: 2 gr
 
 
 

 
 




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October 4, 2015: Raw Food Recipe Menu






Breakfast
serves 1 ~ $2.10 per serving




ingredients

  • 1 apple, washed (peeled if not organic) ($.60)
  • 1 cup mango,chunks, fresh or frozen ($1.00)
  • 1 banana, sliced and frozen
  • 1 handful kale leaves ($.50)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup ice
  • water for blending (more or less depending on how thick you like it)

Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until very smooth and enjoy!


nutritional information
calories: 230
fat: 4 gr
carbs:47 gr
protein: 6 gr 
 
 
 
 Lunch
serves 2 ~ $2.55 per serving
 


ingredients

dressing
  • 3 tablespoons tahini ($.30)
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice ($.60)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave (can substitute stevia or omit) ($.10)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ($.10)
  • 1 tablespoon flax oil ($.20)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce ($.10)
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric ($.10)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder ($.10)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • 1 teaspoon cilantro flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)

salad
  • 1 head romaine or other lettuce ($1.80)
  • 2 tomatoes ($1.00)
  • 1 cucumber ($.50)
  • 1 small onion, sliced ($.20)



directions
Place all dressing ingredients in a small blender and puree briefly until well mixed. Use as desired (over salad, as a veggie dip, over a rice bowl, etc). Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days in an air tight container.
 
 
nutritional information:        
calories: 299    
fat: 9 gr      
carbs: 31 gr      
protein: 9 gr
 
 
 
 
 
Dinner
serves 2 ~ $2.80 per serving




  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced ($.70)
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced ($.70)
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced ($1.50)
  • 1 cup black or kalamata olives ($1.50)
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion ($.20)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil ($.20)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice ($.40)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ($.20)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave (optional, for those who like a touch of sweet) ($.20)
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 1-2 medium sized zucchini, spiralized

Prepare the red and yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, olives, and onion and place in a medium sized bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, syrup, onion powder, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over the prepared vegetables. Allow to marinate for at least a half hour, but it can marinate as long as a day.

When ready to eat, simply pour the marinated veggies and marinade over a portion of spiralized zucchini noodles and toss.


 



nutritional information:
calories: 389
fat: 23 gr
carbs: 35 gr
protein: 11 gr



I use my spirilizer as much as any kitchen tool I have (except my VitaMix, of course!!). The Paderno brand one I have can be found on Amazon HERE, or in most stores that sell kitchen supplies.







Dessert
serves 4 ~ $.95 per serving (x2)



 
 
  
fudgesicles
 
  • 2 bananas, sliced and frozen ($.60)
  • 1/2 cup almond milk ($.40)
  • 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
  • pinch salt
  • few drops of stevia, if more sweetness is desired
 
 
 
chocolate shell
 
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil ($.80)
  • 1/4 cup raw cacao powder or cocoa powder ($.80)
  • 1/4 cup finely ground coconut palm sugar ($.80)
  • pinch salt 
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios ($.40)
 
 
 
directions
 
  1. Place all fudgesicle ingredients into  blender and puree until very smooth. Add more almond milk or water if needed to facilitate blending. 
  2. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for several hours until fully frozen. 
  3. Prepare the chocolate shell coating. 
  4. Place all the chocolate shell coating ingredients into a small bowl and stir well until smooth.
  5. Remove the fidgesicles from the freezer and pop them out of their molds.
  6. Dip the fudgescicles into the hard chocolate shell, or drizzle it over them to coat. 
  7. Just heating the coconut oil up enough to melt it and not any warmer will yield the best results. If needed, gently remelt the chocolate hard shell. 
  8. Add a sprinkle of chopped pistachios or other chopped nut, if desired. Cacao nibs also work well.
  9. Any leftovers can be wrapped and stored in the freezer for a week or so.
 
 
nutritional information:
calories: 195
fat: 10 gr
carbs: 25 gr
protein: 2 gr
 
 
 




Total cost for the day: $9.35
total calories: 1,308
total fat: 56 gr
total carb: 163 gr
total protein: 30 gr




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Orange Banana Breakfast Salad: Raw Food Recipe




Orange Banana Breakfast Salad
serves 2 ~ $2.25 per serving


This salad is so simple and is delicious and super healthy for breakfast. It's the very beginning of citrus season so oranges are exceptionally tasty right now as well. 


ingedients
salad
  • 1 head romaine, chopped ($1.70)
  • 1 orange, peeled and sectioned ($.50)
  • 1 banana, sliced ($.30)
  • 2 tablespoons sliced onion

dressing
  • 2 oranges, peeled and sectioned ($1.00)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ($.20)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or two droppers stevia) ($.40)
  • 3 tablespoons tahini ($.40)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • crushed red pepper flakes for the top

directions
  1. Prepare the salad ingredients.
  2. Place all the dressing ingredients except the crushed red pepper flakes into a blender and puree until very smooth. 
  3. Assemble the salad ingredients on plates or in bowls. Add the orange sections, banana slices, and onion to the top.
  4. Pour salad dressing over and add a sprinkle of black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes. I added both.

nutritional information:       calories: 256      fat: 15 gr      carbs: 33 gr      protein: 6 gr

    Did you ever run across something and fall in love for no apparent reason (this could describe my past dating life ... but I digress). This is a new antique shop find! I love shopping in antique shops for dishes and kitchen gadgets, but this fishy guy won me over!






    xoxo




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    Raw Food Recipe Menu: October 18, 2015






    Breakfast
    Orange Banana Breakfast Salad
    serves 2 ~ $2.25 per serving






    Orange Banana Breakfast Salad
    serves 2 ~ $2.25 per serving


    This salad is so simple and is delicious and super healthy for breakfast. It's the very beginning of citrus season so oranges are exceptionally tasty right now as well. 


    ingedients
    salad
    • 1 head romaine, chopped ($1.70)
    • 1 orange, peeled and sectioned ($.50)
    • 1 banana, sliced ($.30)
    • 2 tablespoons sliced onion

    dressing
    • 2 oranges, peeled and sectioned ($1.00)
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ($.20)
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or two droppers stevia) ($.40)
    • 3 tablespoons tahini ($.40)
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
    • crushed red pepper flakes for the top

    directions
    1. Prepare the salad ingredients.
    2. Place all the dressing ingredients except the crushed red pepper flakes into a blender and puree until very smooth. 
    3. Assemble the salad ingredients on plates or in bowls. Add the orange sections, banana slices, and onion to the top.
    4. Pour salad dressing over and add a sprinkle of black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes. I added both.

    nutritional information:       calories: 256      fat: 15 gr      carbs: 33 gr      protein: 6 gr



     

    Lunch
    Chocolate Chia Smoothie
    serves 1 ~ $2.15 per serving
     
     
     
    ingredients 
    This is a simple, creamy ~ kind of decadent ~ way to start the day, that's also packed with healthy protein and omega-3s.
    In a blender, combine all ingredients except for the pistachios. Puree until very smooth. Top with a few chopped pistachios, if desired.
     
     
    nutritional information:       calories: 555      fat: 21 gr      carbs: 81 gr      protein: 26 gr
     
     
     
     

     
    Dinner
    Black Bean Soup with Sweet Potatoes

    serves 4-5 ~ about $2.50 per serving
     
     



    Egads! This is not raw! But it's great tasting and healthy, too. This soup, from Dreena Burton's Plant Powered 15 book, has an irresistible quality, the flavors are deep and earthy with some sweetness from the potatoes. Don’t let the number of ingredients intimidate you - they build layers of flavor, but this soup is not at all difficult to make!


    ingredients
    • 1-2 tbsp water
    • 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups chopped onions (one large onion)
    • 1 1/2 cups combination of chopped red peppers and green peppers
    • 1 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • freshly ground black pepper to taste (generous is good)
    • 2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
    • 1/4 tsp allspice (rounded)
    • 1/4 tsp (or less/more, to taste) red pepper flakes
    • 4 medium-large cloves garlic, minced or grated
    • 4 1/2 - 5 cups black beans (reserve 1 cup; this is three 14 or 15 oz cans)
    • 3 cups water
    • 2 tbsp tomato paste
    • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
    • 1/2 - 1 tsp pure maple syrup
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 1/2 cups cubed (in small chunks, about 1/2”) yellow sweet potato (or can substitute      white potato)
    • Chopped cilantro for serving
    • Extra lime wedges for serving
    • Chopped avocado tossed with lemon juice and dash of salt, for serving

    directions
    1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add water, onions, red and green peppers, salt and pepper, cumin seeds, oregano, allspice, and red pepper flakes. Let cook for 5-7 minutes until onions and peppers start to soften. Add garlic. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and let cook another few minutes to soften garlic - if sticking/burning, add another splash of water. 
    2. After a few minutes of cooking, add 3 1/2 cups beans (reserving one cup of beans), water, tomato paste, vinegar, lime juice, and maple syrup (start with 1/2 teaspoon). Using an immersion blender, puree soup until fairly smooth. 
    3. Increase heat to bring to boil, add bay leaf and diced sweet potatoes, then once at boil reduce and let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add remaining cup of black beans and extra maple syrup if desired (taste test). 
    4. Stir through, let simmer for another few minutes, then serve, topping with cilantro if desired and with lime wedges. Also delicious to top soup with some chopped seasoned avocado or a simple guacamole.  Serves 4-5 as main course.


    nutritional information:      calories: 319      fat: 6 gr      carb: 33 gr      protein: 11 gr
     
     


     
    Dessert
    Pecan Pie
    serves 2 ~ $1.45 per serving
     
     
     
     

    • 1/4 cup walnuts ($.50)
    • 1/2 cup raisins ($.50)
    • 6 dates, soaked ($1.20)
    • 1/4 cup pecans ($.70)
    • pinch salt
    In a food processor with an "S" blade, process the walnuts and raisins until they are crumbly and stick together. Press into a small tart plate (the one I used is 5 inches diameter) and chill. Then in the food processor again, puree the dates with a tiny bit of the soak water until they form a gooey paste. Spread into the crust and top with pecans.

    The amounts can be easily increased to make a larger pie for a more conventional sized dessert. 
     
     
    nutritional information:      calories: 349      fat: 22 gr      carbs: 39      protein: 5

     
    For the dinner soup that uses sweet potatoes, you can substitute any of the orange fleshed squash if you like. Like these I found at my favorite local farm market ... 
     
    That Pink Banana Squash is amazing. They're about two and a half feet long and weigh around 20 lbs. A steal at $3 each.




    Hope you're having a great fall!
     




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    Raw Food Recipe Menu: November 1, 2015







    Even though we enjoyed a beautiful, warm, sunny day here today, hard core fall is coming. This menu has some heavier, more substantial meals using seasonal produce. Pears are plentiful right now and citrus is coming into its best season soon. You should be able to score some great tasting produce at reasonable prices!




    Breakfast
    Simple Fruit and Berries

    serves 2 ~ $2.08 per serving





    Simple, juicy, and delicious ... everything that's the best of raw plant foods ...

    ingredients
    • 1 peach, sliced ($.80)
    • 1 plum, sliced ($.90)
    • 1 apple, sliced ($1.25)
    • 1/2 cup blueberries ($.50)
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice ($.20)
    • 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts ($.50)

    directions
    1. Slice the fruit, mix together, add a splash of lemon juice and chopped walnuts (a bit of nut milk would be good, too ... like a bowl of fruit cereal).

    nutritional information: calories: 137 fat: 1 gr carbs: 33 gr protein: 2 gr




    Lunch
    Grapefruit Pear Salad
    serves 2 - $2.50 per serving


    salad
    • 1 grapefruit ($.50)
    • 2 pears, sliced ($1.40)
    • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 head romaine, chopped ($1.90)
    • 1/4 cup walnuts ($.50)


    dressing
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice ($.20)
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil ($.30)
    • 2 tablespoons agave ($.20)
    • pinch nutmeg
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon pepper



    directions
    1. Cut the grapefruit by first slicing off about 1/4" off the top and bottom.
    2. Stand the grapefruit up on a cut side and slice along the outside curve of the fruit, cutting away the skin and pith.
    3. Use a sharp knife to cut each grapefruit section away from the membrane.
    4. Slice the pears and onions, and chop the lettuce.
    5. Toss together and sprinkle the walnuts on top.
    6. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the top.


    nutritional information: calories: 304 fat: 17 gr carbs: 40 gr protein: 5 gr








    Dinner
    Pad Thai

    serves 2 ~ $2.28 per serving


    ingredients


    • 2 medium zucchini ($1.20)
    • 1 carrot ($.15)
    • 1 bunch green onions, sliced ($.59)
    • 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced ($.50)
    • large handful mung bean sprouts ($.75)
    sauce
    • 4 tablespoons almond butter ($.80)
    • 1/2 in piece ginger, peeled
    • 1 tablespoon braggs aminos or soy sauce ($.10)
    • 1 clove garlic ($.05)
    • 1 tablespoon agave ($.10)
    • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoons chopped cashews ($.20)

    directions
    1. Noodle the zucchini and carrot using a vegetable peeler or spiral slicer. 
    2. Toss with the bell pepper, green onion, and bean sprouts.
    3. In a bullet type blender, puree all the sauce ingredients until very creamy. Because of the high fat content of the nut butter, this can get quite hot while blending. Stop and let it cool for a minute if it becomes too hot for your personal definition of raw.
    4. Pour over noodles, toss lightly, serve. 





    nutritional information:        calories: 345        fat: 23 gr        carbs: 30 gr         protein: 8 gr







    Dessert
    Chocolate Orange Mousse

    serves 2 ~ $.99 per serving 
     




    ingredients
    • 1 ripe avocado, chopped ($.88)
    • 2 bananas, chopped ($.30)
    • 3 tablespoons cocoa or cacao powder ($.60)
    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
    • 2 tablespoons agave ($.20)
    • 1/2 dropper liquid stevia
    • 1/4 teaspoon orange extract

    directions
    1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor fitted with an "S" blade and process until very smooth.
    2. Add coconut oil to room temperature or warmer ingredients only, otherwise the coconut oil will harden into little lumps before it has a chance to blend.
    3. Chill for at least a half hour before serving.
    4. Top with a few orange sections and/or pieces of fruit and a pinch of orange rind, if desired.






    nutritional information: calories: 321 fat: 16 gr carbs: 41 gr protein: 5 gr



    Total cost for the day: $7.58
    total calories:  1,107
    total fat: 57 gr
    total carb: 144 gr
    total protein: 20 gr














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    Buckwheat Coco Puffs ~ Raw Food Breakfast Recipe


     
     
     
    4 servings ~ $.73 per serving

     
    I love soaked and dehydrated buckwheat groats. They get crisp and puffy and light, like the puffed rice  remember in chocolate Crunch bars. Maybe that's why I always associate them with chocolate! Anyway, this makes a great and fun breakfast that will give you energy and keep you full all morning.

    ingredients
    • 1 cup buckwheat groats, soaked ($.75)
    • 2 ripe bananas ($.30)
    • 3 tbsp coco or cacao powder ($.15)
    • 1/2 tsp vanilla ($.10)
    • 1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup almond milk ($.40)
     
     
     
     
     
     
    directions
    1. Rinse one cup buckwheat groats and then soak in about two cups water for 5-6 hours or overnight. Rinse the buckwheat groats well. There will be a gooey or gelatinous coating on the groats and and they will need to be rinsed several times. 
    2. Once rinsed, drain well and pat with a towel to remove most of the water.In a food processor with the S blade, add the banana, cocoa or cacao powder, vanilla and salt. 
    3. Process for a minute or two until very creamy. 
    4. Fold into the buckwheat groats. 
    5. Then spread the mixture in clusters about 1/4 inch thick on the teflex or plastic sheets in a dehydrator. Dehydrate for about 4 hours, then turn over and dehydrate for another 2-3 hours, until the clusters are dry but pliable. 
    6. They don't seem to get brittle dry, but stay a little bit pliable. 
    7. Break up into smaller clumps. These can then be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Serve with 1/2 cup almond milk. 





    nutritional information:      calories: 333       fat: 10 gr      carbs: 50 gr      protein: 7 gr
     
     




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    Raw Food Recipe Menu: November 15, 2015






     
    Breakfast
    Buckwheat Coco Puffs

    4 servings ~ $.73 per serving



    ingredients
    • 1 cup buckwheat groats, soaked ($.75)
    • 2 ripe bananas ($.30)
    • 3 tbsp coco or cacao powder ($.15)
    • 1/2 tsp vanilla ($.10)
    • 1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup almond milk ($.40)
    directions
    1. Rinse one cup buckwheat groats and then soak in about two cups water for 5-6 hours or overnight. Rinse the buckwheat groats well. There will be a gooey or gelatinous coating on the groats and and they will need to be rinsed several times. 
    2. Once rinsed, drain well and pat with a towel to remove most of the water.In a food processor with the S blade, add the banana, cocoa or cacao powder, vanilla and salt. 
    3. Process for a minute or two until very creamy. 
    4. Fold into the buckwheat groats. 
    5. Then spread the mixture in clusters about 1/4 inch thick on the teflex or plastic sheets in a dehydrator. Dehydrate for about 4 hours, then turn over and dehydrate for another 2-3 hours, until the clusters are dry but pliable. 
    6. They don't seem to get brittle dry, but stay a little bit pliable. 
    7. Break up into smaller clumps. These can then be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Serve with 1/2 cup almond milk.





    nutritional information:      calories: 333       fat: 10 gr      carbs: 50 gr      protein: 7 gr





    Lunch
    Coconut Cashew Soup
    Serves 2 ~ $4.04 per serving






    Oh. Yeah. Coconut butter is divine. Artisana makes organic, raw and vegan nut butters and coconut products. They provided some of their coconut butter and nuts butters for me to try, which are great straight from the jar and worked out really well in this easy and convenient soup.  


    ingredients 
    • 4 tablespoons artisana coconut butter ($2.20)
    • 4 tablespoons artisana cashew butter ($2.35) 
    • 1 1/2 cup water
    • 3 dates ($.60)
    • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves ($.10) 
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
    • juice of one lime ($.50)
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 cucumber, sliced into noodles ($.89)
    • 1/2 avocado, chopped ($.88)
    • 1 medium onion, minced
    • 2 stalks celery, minced ($.20)
    • small bunch cilantro leaves ($.05)
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved ($.30)
    • red pepper flakes


    directions
    1. In a blender, process the coconut butter, cashew butter (almond butter will work as well), water, dates, cilantro, garlic, red pepper flakes, cayenne, lime juice, salt and pepper. 
    2. Puree until as smooth as possible.
    3. Cut the cucumber into noodles and put in bowls with the avocado, celery, cilantro, and cherry tomatoes. 
    4. Using a wire mesh strainer, strain the coconut and nut butter soup base. This will take out any larger pieces of dates or spices. A higher powered blender may make this step unnecessary. 
    5. Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.


      nutritional information:      calories: 537       fat: 44 gr       carbs: 33 gr       protein: 11 gr






      Dinner
      Sweet Potato Noodles
      serves 3 ~ $1.95 per serving








      ingredients

      • 3 sweet potatoes ($3.00)
      • 3 green onions ($.50)
      • 6 tablespoons agave or maple syrup ($.60)
      • 3 tablespoons olive or flax oil ($.30)
      • 3 tablespoons lemon juice ($.30)
      • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ($.20)
      • 1 clove garlic, pressed
      • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
      • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
      • 3 green onions, sliced
      • 1/4 cup walnuts ($1.00)
      directions
      1. Spiralize the sweet potatoes using your chosen tool and method. 
      2. Whisk together the agave, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. 
      3. When ready to serve, toss with the sliced green onions and walnuts. 
      4. If desired, warm the noodles in a dehydrator or a warm pan before serving. 
      5. Store the noodles and dressing in separate containers.


      nutritional information:      calories: 646      fat: 36 gr      carbs: 79      protein: 13 gr






      Dessert
      Plum Pie
      serves 3 ~ $2.47 per serving




      • 1/2 cup walnuts ($1.00)
      • 1/2 cup raisins ($.85)
      • 3 plums, sliced thinly ($3.00)
      • 3 tablespoons coconut butter ($1.65) 
      • 2 tablespoons coconut nectar ($.40)

      • banana ice cream ($.50)
      • blackberry puree





      In a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, process the walnuts and raisins until the mixture begins sticking together. Press into a plate, pie plate, or tart pans and chill for several minutes.

      In the food processor, again with the "S" blade, process one plum, the coconut butter, and the coconut nectar. When pureed, spread over the pie crust. Place the plum slices on top. 

      This goes really well with a bit of banana ice cream and a bit of blackberry puree.



      nutritional information:       calories: 396      fat: 19 gr      carbs: 60 gr      protein: 6 gr


       

      Total cost for the day: $9.22
      total calories: 1,744
      total fat: 139 gr
      total carb: 222 gr
      total protein: 37 gr




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      Pumpkin Apple Spice Smoothie Bowl ~ Raw Food Recipe





      Every year I dread the end of summer, but then fall comes and I think, "No, this is my favorite time of year!" Fall is apples, and pumpkins, and pea soup, and cider mills, and wineries, and music, and being cozy. 



        


      This smoothie bowl doesn't contain any actual pumpkin, but will convince you otherwise!Instead, I've used carrots, which are always available. It will get your day started in a delicious way and give you plenty of energy to enjoy whatever these glorious fall days bring your way!






      ingredients
      • 1 cup carrots, cut into chunks
      • 1 banana, sliced and frozen
      • 1 cup almond milk 
      • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
      • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
      • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
      • pinch nutmeg
      • 1/2 cup chopped dates
      • 1/4 cup chopped pecans or other nuts
      • 1 cup chopped apples

      directions
      1. In a high powered blender, puree the carrots, banana, and almond milk until very smooth.
      2. Add in the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg and pulse a few times to blend well.
      3. Pour into a bowl and add the chopped dates, pecans, and apples. A sprinkle of coconut flakes goes well, too!







      nutritional information:       calories: 345       fat: 7 gr       carb: 51       pro: 6




      w

      UnStirFry ~ Raw Food Entree Recipe

       

      This makes a super hearty and filling main dish. Asparagus is in season in spring and will be plentiful and fresh in most areas very soon :)

       
      UnStir Fry
      serves 2 - $2.38 per serving
       

      6 spears asparagus, chopped ($1.00)
      4 oz mushrooms ($1.15)
      2 carrots, thinly sliced ($.30)
      2 stalks celery, sliced ($.20)
      6 leaves kale, chopped ($.60)
      1 medium onion, chopped ($.10)

      juice of one orange ($.50)
      1 inch piece ginger, grated ($.10)
      1 clove garlic, pressed
      2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)
      2 tablespoons braggs liquid aminos  ($.40)
      2 tablespoons agave ($.20)
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
      1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

      2 medium zucchini ($1.29)

      Put the asparagus, mushrooms, carrots, celery, kale, and onion in a lidded tub. Combine the orange juice, ginger, garlic, olive oil, liquid aminos, agave, cayenne, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine, or use a bullet type blender. Pour half this marinade over the vegetables in the tub and place the lid on. Set aside the other half of the marinade for later. Let sit, stirring or shaking every so often, for about an hour. Then pour onto lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate for about an hour, until the vegetables are soft and warm.

      Slice the zucchini into noodles and top with the vegetables. Dress with the remaining marinade.
       
      nutritional information:      calories: 368      fat: 15 gr      carbs: 52 gr      protein: 7 gr  
       




      w

      Deviled Avocados ~ Raw Food Recipe




      Super easy, this raw food mouthgasm takes just minutes from start to delicious eating. Avocados are in season right now, too, and at great prices. I've seen them locally for as low as $.88 each. These were $1.25 at a small area grocery store.




      Full of the "good fat" ...





      ... they're also filling and incredibly satisfying. Have this for an easy breakfast that will keep you fueled until mid-day, as a light lunch, or as an anytime snack.  

      Here's the recipe. You are literally minutes away from avocado heaven.
       

      Deviled Avocados
      serves 1 ~ $1.50 per serving

      ingredients
      • 1 avocado, chopped ($1.25)
      • 1tablespoon finely chopped celery ($.05)
      • 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion ($.05)
      • 2 teaspoons mustard ($.05)
      • 2 teaspoons mayo  (use something like Veganaise or make your own) ($.10)
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt
      • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
      • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
      • Lettuce and optional tomato for serving
      directions
      • Coarsely chop the avocado, add the remaining ingredients, then stir gently until evenly incorporated. 
      • Store leftovers for up to a day or two in an air tight container.
      •  
      nutritional information:       calories: 280       fat: 37 gr      carbs: 15 gr      protein: 3 gr







      w

      Raw Food Recipe Menu: March 20, 2016



      Hello! I hope you're enjoying these first days of spring! The weather has been pretty wonderful around here and I've been enjoying the outdoors and seed starting and all the bright, shiny, hopeful things that happen this time of year.

      Here are some raw recipes that take advantage of some of the things coming into season.

      Breakfast
      Pineapple Green Smoothie
      serves 2 ~ $1.75 per serving
       




      ingredients
      • 3 cups chopped romaine (or favorite green) ($1.00)
      • 1 cup cubed pineapple, frozen ($2.00)
      • 1 banana, sliced and frozen ($.20)
      • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional) ($.20)
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla ($.10)
      • 1 cup water
      • 10 ice cubes
      • stevia to taste (optional)
      directions
      • In a high powered blender, puree the greens until liquefied and very smooth. 
      • Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth.

      nutritional information:      calories: 156      fat: 0 gr      carbs: 42 gr      protein: 3 gr






      Lunch
      Deviled Avocados
      serves 1 ~ $1.50 per serving
       
       

      ingredients
      • 1 avocado, chopped ($1.25)
      • 1tablespoon finely chopped celery ($.05)
      • 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion ($.05)
      • 2 teaspoons mustard ($.05)
      • 2 teaspoons mayo  (use something like Veganaise or make your own) ($.10)
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt
      • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
      • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
      • Lettuce and optional tomato for serving
      directions
      • Coarsely chop the avocado, add the remaining ingredients, then stir gently until evenly incorporated. 
      • Store leftovers for up to a day or two in an air tight container.


      nutritional information:       calories: 280       fat: 37 gr      carbs: 15 gr      protein: 3 gr



      Dinner
      Red Pepper Pasta
      serves 2 ~ $2.80 per serving





      • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced ($.70)
      • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced ($.70)
      • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced ($1.50)
      • 1 cup black or kalamata olives ($1.50)
      • 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion ($.20)
      • 1/4 cup olive oil ($.20)
      • 2 tablespoons lemon juice ($.40)
      • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ($.20)
      • 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave (optional, for those who like a touch of sweet) ($.20)
      • 1 tablespoon onion powder
      • 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
      • 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
      • 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
      • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
      • 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
      • 1-2 medium sized zucchini, spiralized
       
      directions
      • Prepare the red and yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, olives, and onion and place in a medium sized bowl. 
      • In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, syrup, onion powder, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over the prepared vegetables. Allow to marinate for at least a half hour, but it can marinate as long as a day.
      • When ready to eat, simply pour the marinated veggies and marinade over a portion of spiralized zucchini noodles and toss.


       

       
       
      nutritional information:      calories: 389      fat: 23 gr      carbs: 35 gr      protein: 11 gr





       Dessert
      Chocolate Orange Truffle
      makes 24 ~ $.54 per truffle (a serving is three truffles)




       
      ingredients

      • 2 cups almonds ($8.00)
      • 1 1/2 cups dates, pitted and chopped ($4.00)
      • 1/2 cup cocoa powder ($1.00)
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 1 teaspoon orange extract
      • Cocoa powder for rolling
      directions
      • In a food processor fitted with an “S” blade, process the almonds until finely ground. This takes about a minute. 
      • Add in the pitted and chopped dates, cocoa powder, vanilla and orange extract. 
      • Process again until the mixture begins to clump together. 
      • Using a tablespoon, scoop out even sized balls, and roll between hands to shape. 
      • For the final finish, roll each truffle lightly in cocoa powder.
       
      Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Makes about 24 truffles.
       
      nutritional information:       calories: 105      fat: 6 gr       carb: 12 gr       protein: 3 gr
       
       
       
       
       
      Total cost for the day: $7.67
      total calories: 1,140
      total fat: 78 gr
      total carb: 128 gr
      total protein: 26 gr
       
       




      Aftertought ...

      What does a mostly raw, some cooked vegan grocery cart look like? Well, mine looks like this ...




      How about you?






      w

      Pineapple Green Smoothie ~ Raw Food Vegan Smoothie Recipe



      This raw and healthy pineapple party in your mouth is super simple and perfect for spring. Hawaiian pineapple season is April and May, even though they're available year round. Price and quality will be the best over the next few months so take advantage of this sweet abundance and enjoy this vegan treat for breakfast or an anytime snack.

      Oh, and to make this extra thick and frosty, cube and freeze pineapple and any subsequent pineapple juice in ice cube trays. Store frozen cubes in plastic bags for ultra easy prep.



         



      Pineapple Green Smoothie
      serves 2 ~ $1.75 per serving

      ingredients
      • 3 cups chopped romaine (or favorite green) ($1.00)
      • 1 cup cubed pineapple, frozen ($2.00)
      • 1 banana, sliced and frozen ($.20)
      • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional) ($.20)
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla ($.10)
      • 1 cup water
      • 10 ice cubes
      • stevia to taste (optional)
      directions
      • In a high powered blender, puree the greens until liquefied and very smooth. 
      • Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth.

      nutritional information:      calories: 156      fat: 0 gr      carbs: 42 gr      protein: 3 gr



      Speaking of pineapple ...

      ... this really cool little building was one of my favorite local landmarks. While on a bike ride the other day (hello warm weather!) I noticed the other day that it's gone! I'll miss it!! Maybe they got tired of me taking so many photos of it ... hmm.









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      Raw Zucchini Chips: Super Easy Raw Food Recipe


      Zucchini chips are an awesome/tasty alternative to convention chips, which have few nutrients and are laden with fat and salt. Not only that, but before I was raw, I always overlooked zucchini as a "buy and make it in bulk" vegetable. But, when zucchini is plentiful, this is the perfect recipe to use them up.

       

      Zucchini season is best in mid summer, because it's a warm weather plant. Even so, zucchini can be found at most groceries through most of the year. Look for firm and glossy fruit with no marks or soft spots.


      Simply wash the zucchini and then slice thinly. A mandolin would be the best choice of tool, but I did just fine with a chef's knife. If you want your zucchini chips to have lighter edges, then peel then first then slice.



      Put the sliced zucchini in a lidded container and add the marinade. Shake well to coat.




      Spread out in a single layer on lined dehydrator sheets. Dehydrate at around 145 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour, then reduce the temperature to 120 and dehydrate for another 12 hours or so. Overnight is a good way to time it. They're done when all the moisture has been removed. They should be pretty crispy and only a little chewy. The full recipe is below.


      Raw Zucchini Chips
      one large batch ~ $7.10


      ingredients
      • 8 cups thinly sliced zucchini rounds ($5.00)
      • 1/2 cup agave ($1.00)
      • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar ($.40)
      • 1/4 olive oil ($.40)
      • 2 tablespoons dried oregano ($.05)
      • 2 tablespoons dried basil ($.05)
      • 2 tablespoons dried parsley ($.05)
      • 1 tablespoon garlic powder ($.05)
      • 1 tablespoon onion powder ($.05)
      • 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
      • 1 teaspoon black pepper
      • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ($.05) 
      directions
      • Slice the zucchini, pat dry if needed, and place in a large, lidded container. 
      • In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
      • Pour over the sliced zucchini, cover, and shake (or just stir) until zucchini is evenly coated. 
      • Spread the zucchini on lined dehydrator sheets and dry at 145 degrees for about an hour and then at 120 for about another 12 hours or overnight (dehydrating time can vary), until crispy. 
      • Store leftovers in an airtight container and pop into dehydrator for a few minutes to crisp them up again if necessary. 







      w

      Fruit Stew: Raw Food Recipe




      Fruit Stew
      serves 2 ~ $2.48 per serving


      This is surprisingly filling. You can make this entirely fat free by simply omitting the olive oil, which is something I do on occasion. 

      ingredients
      • 1 mango, cubed ($1.49)
      • 1 papaya, cubed ($.99)
      • 1 cucumber, chopped ($.69)
      • 2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)
      • 1 teaspoon salt
      • 1 medium onion, finely chopped ($.05)
      • 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped ($.89)
      • 1 jalapeno, minced ($.20)
      • 2 tablespoons lime juice ($.45)
      • black pepper
      • red pepper flakes


      directions
      1. In a food processor fitted with an "S blade, puree about a third of each of the mango, papaya, and cucumber and the olive oil and salt until very smooth. This is the stew base. 
      2. In a large bowl, add the remaining chopped mango, papaya, and cucumber, along with the onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeno. 
      3. Stir to mix. 
      4. Add the lime juice and stir again. 
      5. Serve with a bit of black pepper and a few crushed red pepper flakes.
      6. Most of the heat of a jalapeno is found in the seeds. I like this kind of spicy so I include most of the seeds from the jalapeno. If you prefer a bit more mild taste, just leave out most or all of the seeds.

       nutritional information       calories: 289      fat: 14 gr      carbs: 43 gr       protein: 3 gr






      And want to know a few fun facts about fruit, too?








      Hope you're all having a great spring! Say hello :)








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      Chocolate Orange Smoothie: Raw Food Smoothie Recipe




      Chocolate Orange Smoothie
      serves 1 ~ $2.20 per serving 


      You have to remind yourself this is good for you. It's so delicious it feels downright decadent. The hemp milk makes it super creamy and luscious.

      ingredients
      • 1 orange, peeled and frozen ($.50)
      • 2 bananas, peeled, sliced, and frozen ($.40)
      • 1 cup hemp milk ($1.00)
      • 3 tablespoons cacao powder ($.30) 
      • 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
      • few drops stevia (optional)
      • pinch salt
      • 6 ice cubes
      • water for blending, if necessary

      directions
      1. In a high speed blender, puree all ingredients until very smooth and creamy. 
      2. Add water if needed for ease of blender or if a thinner smoothie is desired. 

      nutritional information:      calories: 339      fat: 14 gr      carbs: 43 gr       protein: 8 gr 




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      Raw Food Recipe Menu: June 26th, 2016

       

       
      Breakfast
      Strawberry Flax Smoothie
      serves 2 ~ $1.28 per serving
       
       
       
      Just two tablespoons of flax seeds, weighing in at 95 calories, contains over 140% of the daily value of omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids can protect against diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, and also decrease inflammation. Because the nutrients in flax seeds are better absorbed when ground ~ and a lot more palatable! ~ I've used the ground seeds in this recipe.
      ingredients
      • 2 bananas, frozen and sliced ($.50)
      • 1 cup frozen strawberries ($1.00)
      • 4 tablespoons flax seeds, ground ($.40)
      • 1 cup almond milk ($.45) 
      • a few almonds, chopped
      directions
      • In a blender, combine all ingredients and puree until very smooth.
      • Garnish with a few chopped almonds, if desired.
      nutritional information:      calories: 308      fat: 11 gr      carb: 55      protein: 7 gr    
       
       
       
       
       
      Lunch
      Squash and Cauliflower Soup
      serves 2 ~ $1.75 per serving
      This is a light but also filling lunch or snack and cauliflower is in season right now. It's pretty low in calories and not very expensive. I've been known to eat the whole batch, is what I'm saying! I like to add some cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes, but, as is true of most things in life, heat is optional ... add as much or little as you like. 
      ingredients
      • 1 1/2 cup peeled and chopped zucchini and/or summer squash ($1.20)
      • 1 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower ($1.00)
      • 1 cup peeled and chopped apple ($1.00)
      • 1/4 cup olive oil, or any one of your favorite oils ($.20)
      • 1 tablespoon chopped onion ($.10)
      • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
      • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
      • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
      • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
      • 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

      directions
      • Place all ingredients in high powered blender and process for a minute or two until very smooth and creamy. 
      • Add a drizzle of your favorite oil and some crushed red pepper flakes.




       
      nutritional information:      calories: 390          fat: 32 gr         carbs: 54        protein: 5  
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
      Dinner
      Spring Noodles
      serves 2 ~ $1.98 per serving


      • 2 medium zucchini, noodled ($2.30)
      • 1 medium onion, chopped ($.05)
      • 1/2 lb baby snap peas ($.80)
      • 1 carrot, grated ($.10)
      • 2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)
      • 2 tablespoons agave ($.20)
      • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ($.20)
      • 2 cloves garlic, pressed ($.10)
      • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
      • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
      noodled verb: to improvise, experiment, or think creatively; to make or devise freely as an exercise or experiment
       
      I used to think breaded and fried was the only way to eat zucchini. Now, I'm totally into raw zucchini noodles. They're so easy to make and have a wonderful but mild flavor of their own, so they work well with just about everything. 
      Make noodles out the zucchini with a spiralizer, grater, or with a vegetable peeler. Toss the noodles together with the whole snap peas, chopped onion, and grated carrot. In a small cup, whisk together the oil, agave, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss with the noodles until coated. 
      These can be served as is, or marinated for an hour or so, or gently dehydrated for a bit.

       
      nutritional information:      calories: 343      fat: 14 gr      carbs: 46 gr      protein: 10 gr
       
       
       
       
       
       Dessert
      Lemon Poppy Seed Ice Cream with Strawberry Sauce
      serves 2 ~ $1.10 per serving




      ingredients
      • 4 bananas, sliced and frozen ($.60)
      • juice and zest of one lemon ($.69)
      • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds ($.30)
      • 1 cup strawberries ($.45)
      • 1 tablespoon agave ($.10)
      • 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts ($.15)
      • pinch salt

      Banana ice cream is wonderful.  And it's amazingly simple to make with just a food processor.

      The strawberry sauce should be made first and set aside. In a bullet type blender, puree the strawberries and agave until very smooth.

      In a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, process the frozen bananas and lemon juice and zest until creamy like soft serve ice cream. It can take a bit of prodding and scraping to get the bananas going in the food processor, but it's worth it. Once creamy, add the poppy seeds and give a whir or two to incorporate.

      Serve with the strawberry sauce and walnuts. 
       
      nutritional information:       calories: 345      fat: 6 gr      carbs: 77 gr      protein: 5 gr
       
       
       
      Total cost for the day: $6.11
      total calories: 1,386
      total fat: 63 gr
      total carb: 232 gr
      total protein: 27 gr
       




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      Raw Food Recipe Menu: July 4, 2016





       
      Happy, happy 4th!! I hope you're enjoying your holiday with lots of good food, friends, family, and good times. The 4th, to most people, represents "freedom" and "independence." What would you like to be free or independent of this summer or this year? Now? 

        
      Breakfast 
      Strawberry Blue Concrete
      serves 2 ~ $1.45 per serving



      • 3 bananas, sliced and frozen ($.60)
      • 1 1/2 cups strawberries, frozen ($1.69)
      • 1/2 cup blueberries, frozen ($.60)
      • stevia and/or agave, to taste

      A "concrete" is a very thick shake ... thick enough to have to eat it with a spoon. And this is a fun and tasty breakfast or treat for anyone.

      In a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, process the frozen bananas until creamy. Add water as needed until the mixture is a thick, soft serve ice cream consistency. Add about half the frozen strawberries and process again until smooth. Add a couple droppers of stevia and/or agave, until you like the level of sweetness. You may not need any sweetener at all if you use very ripe bananas.

      Spoon out and set aside about half the mixture. Then, add more frozen strawberries to what remains, and process again until smooth. Spoon out and set aside about half of this mixture, as well. Finally, add the frozen blueberries to what is left and process again until smooth.

      Layer the different mixtures in a glass. And don't forget a spoon!


      nutritional information:      calories: 262      fat: 1 gr      carbs: 65 gr      protein: 3 gr


      Lunch
      Strawberry Cauliflower Salad
      serves 2 ~ $2.75 per serving



      This salad is a bit on the sweet side and I've even had it for breakfast. The nutrition in here is just off the charts, especially with the cauliflower rounding it out. Lots of vitamin C, vitamin K, etc. A few chopped almonds on top would be nice, too. That's usually how I eat this, but must have forgotten them for the photos!

      ingredients, salad
      • 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped ($1.20)
      • 2 cups sliced strawberries ($2.00)
      • 1 1/2 cups chopped cauliflower ($1.00)
      • 1 small white onion ($.10)

      ingredients, dressing
      • 1 cup strawberries ($1.00)
      • 1 tablespoon chopped onion
      • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
      • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar ($.20)
      • 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon fresh
      • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh
      • 3 tablespoons agave
      • 3 tablespoons olive oil
      • 2 droppers stevia
      • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
      • 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

      directions
      • Arrange the salad ingredients on a plate.
      • In a blender, puree the dressing ingredients until very smooth.
      • Add cracked black pepper and salt to taste.




      nutritional information:       calories: 257       carbs: 35       fat: 21       protein: 10



      Dinner
      Blueberry Salad
      serves 2 ~ $2.00 per serving



      ingredients
      • 1 cup blueberries, dried ($1.00)
      • 1 head romaine ($1.29)
      • handful kale ($.50)
      • 1 medium onion, divided
      • 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh ($.50) 
      • 2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)
      • 2 tablespoons coconut nectar or other liquid sweetener ($.40)
      • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ($.10)
      • salt and pepper to taste

      Blueberries dry to a wonderful raisin like texture, becoming sweeter and even more flavorful. Care must be taken to not over dry them as they get too hard. Just put a cup of blueberries in the dehydrator for several hours until dry but still chewy.

      The salad is just a simple one of romaine, a bit of kale, chopped onions, and dried blueberries. Reserve a tablespoon of chopped onion to go into the dressing.

      The dressing is made with the onion, a half cup of fresh blueberries, the olive oil, coconut nectar, and vinegar. Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth. This works best with a bullet type blender. Most blenders have a blade assembly that's compatible with canning jars. Just unscrew the blade assembly from the carafe and attach to a small mouth canning jar. The pint jars are perfect for small jobs like this.

       Also, a larger batch of dressing can be made, just double or triple the recipe. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

       


      nutritional information:       calories: 289       fat: 14 gr       carbs: 42 gr       protein: 4 gr




      Dessert
      Blueberry Fool
      serves 4 ~ $.62 per serving

      ingredients
      • 1 cup nuts (cashews) ($1.00)
      • 2 ripe bananas ($.30)
      • juice of 1 lemon ($.69)
      • pinch of salt
      • 1/2 cup water for blending, as needed
      • 4 ounces blueberries, frozen and thawed ($.50)

      • whole blueberries
      • walnuts
      • agave

      I was looking for ways to cut some of the fat in regular nut yogurt and decided to use ripe bananas and nuts in about equal amounts. This worked out wonderfully and as a bonus, eliminated the need for more sweetener.

      A "fool" is basically a yogurt dish layered parfait style. Greek yogurt, which is very thick, is traditionally used. This yogurt isn't that thick as I've made it here, but could easily be thickened by draining some of the liquid through cheesecloth. 

      In a blender, puree the bananas until very smooth. Add the nuts (I used cashews) and lemon juice and about a half cup water for blending. Puree on high for several minutes, until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate for at least a few hours. It will thicken quite a bit as it chills.

      To make the "fool," take half the yogurt and puree with a handful of blueberries. In each serving bowl, put a spoon of regular yogurt and another of blueberry yogurt, add a few whole blueberries to the top. Garnish with a couple chopped walnuts and a drizzle of agave, if desired.


      nutritional information:       calories: 268      fat: 38 gr      carbs: 24 gr      protein: 5 gr






      Total cost for the day: $6.82
      total calories: 1,076
      total fat: 72 gr
      total carb: 166 gr
      total protein: 21 gr
      That's a little light on calories, but it's also kind of light on the cost so if you're still hungry have a big slice of lemon cherry cheesecake!


      Lemon Cherry Cheesecake
      serves 8 - $1.50 per serving

       This cheesecake recipe is from my Spring Raw book, available over there on the side. It's a refreshing dessert that tastes great anytime, but also goes over well at get togethers and holidays

      crust
      • 1 cup almonds ($2.00) 
      • 1 cup dates ($2.00)
      • pinch salt

      filling
      • 2 cups almonds, soaked and (optionally) blanched ($4.00)
      • 1/4 cup lemon juice ($.40)
      • 1/2 cup agave ($1.60)
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla
      • pinch salt
      • 1/2 cup water for blending

      topping
      • 1/2cup cherries ($.40)
      • 1/2 cup dates ($1.00)
      • 2 tablespoons lemon juice ($.40)
      • 1/4 cup whole cherries ($.20)


      In a food processor fitted with an “S: blade, process the almonds until coarsely ground. Add the dates and process until the mixture sticks together. Press into the bottom and up the sides of an eight inch springform pan.


      For the filling, in a food processor fitted with an “S: blade, process the soaked almonds until finely ground. Add the lemon juice, agave, vanilla, and salt and process, using additional water as necessary. Pour into the prepared crust and smooth. Cover and freeze until firm

      In a bullet type blender, process the cherries, dates, and lemon juice until very smooth. Stir in the whole cherries and spread over the top of the frozen pie. Cover and freeze again until firm.

      To serve, remove from freezer about twenty minutes beforehand and allow the pie to thaw slightly before cutting and serving.


      nutritional information:       calories: 343       fat: 21 gr       carb: 30 gr       protein: 6 gr 




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      Lime in the Coconut Tarts: Raw Food Dessert Recipe


      Lime in the Coconut Tarts
      8 tarts ~ $1.11 per serving




      These are just insanely good and great for summer. I really don't think there's a conventional dessert that could be any better tasting than these. I used paper cupcake cups and a cupcake pan ... the paper lined pans seemed to make just about perfect sized tarts. They certainly didn't last long in these parts, although theoretically they can be covered and frozen for up to a week.

      A note about the dehydrated bananas ... these need to be just dehydrated enough to take some of the moisture out but not hard. I dehydrated my gently for about 6 hours and that seemed to work out well.


      ingredients
      • 6 dates ($3.00)
      • 1/2 cup walnuts ($.50)
      • 1/2 cup finely shredded coconut ($1.00)
      • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
      • 2 tablespoons agave
      • pinch salt
      • 2 avocados ($1.49)
      • 3 bananas, dehydrated ($.45)
      • 4 limes, juice and zest ($2.00)
      • 4 tablespoons agave ($.40)

      directions
      1. Make the crusts first. In a food processor with the "S" blade, process the dates until mush. 
      2. Add the coconut, coconut oil, agave, and salt and process until it begins to clump. 
      3. Last, add the walnuts and process until the walnuts are fully incorporated and the mixture sticks together.
      4. Divide the crust mixture evenly into and press into the bottom and sides of eight paper lined cupcake cups. 
      5. Put in the freezer for about a half hour, until firm.
      6. For the filling, in the food processor with the "S" blade, process the avocados, bananas, lime juice and zest, and agave. It takes a minute or two, but this will become velvety smooth and the consistency of thick pudding.
      7. Spoon the filling into the tart crusts and chill well before serving.














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        A New Name and Direction for Raw on $10 a Day (or Less!)





        Ch-ch-ch-changes. 

        Raw on $10 a Day (or Less!) began at the end of 2009. I’d just become vegan and was interested in raw foods. I was struggling in quite possibly the worst situation I’d ever been in. I was drowning and, you probably didn’t know it, but this blog and its readers became something of a lifeline. 

        It all started as a simple question: “How much does it cost to eat raw?” but led to so much more. I’ve learned so much about food, and living, about loving myself and others, about the value of good food, and emotional and physical health. I've experienced heartbreaking loss, and deep happiness and joy, and I’ve grown and bloomed into the person I was always meant to be. I even wrote a real book, Easy Affordable Raw.

        Today is my 54th birthday. It's said one's life goes in cycles and the 54th year is one of renewal, change, and rebirth. I feel fantastic and optimistic and am looking forward to many more happy, healthy years of vegan life, love, and adventure.

        Because of all that, it makes me incredibly sad to say goodbye to Raw on $10. It’s something that I put a lot of work into. More than anything else, though, it’s something I’ve gotten a great deal from. I’ve deeply appreciated every reader, every encouragement, and every friendship and connection, online and off, that has come about directly and indirectly from Raw on $10.

        I’ve never been good at ending relationships, either. I hang on. Drag my feet. Procrastinate. Second guess my decision. But there is only so much room in a life and sometimes one relationship must end for another to begin. It’s incredibly bittersweet. I’m sad for the ending but excited and so happy for what’s to come. 


        And so …

        Raw on $10 a Day is 

        changing, 

        growing, 

        becoming … 

        Planted 365



        Changing the name of a blog while also changing the platform from Blogger to Wordpress has been brain explodingly complicated and I’d much rather be creating content. I’ve got some help and the process of changing and updating and linking and all that will be an ongoing process. Surely there will be some snags. Please be patient with the transition. 

        All recipes will still be available, although I'll be updating and improving a lot of them.

        I'll be migrating the RSS feed, email list, and all that, so you might see unfamiliar notifications.

        Raw on $10 will continue to exist for the next week. Next Monday, everything will be redirected to the new name and new platform.

        Planted 365 will be official then. If you want to go over now, though, it's up and running with a few new things. Sign up by email and you won't miss any posts.

        I sincerely hope you will come along and see what else we can discover together. There will be lots of raw food still, because it’s awesome, delicious, and beautifully photogenic. And a new full day menu every week, starting next Monday. There will also be healthy cooked vegan recipes, soul healing art, mindful movement, and conscious connection and relationships. Because how much things cost seems to be interesting to so many, I'll note that information when I can. 

        I’ve learned so much in the past nearly nine years. There’s ... so ... much … I can’t wait to show it all to you. 

        I'll leave you with a very short video of where I'm headed with Planted 365. 









        With sincerest gratitude ...
        Lisa 

        xoxo












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        Happy International Women's Day

        To the women from all over the world I'm privileged to know, and everybody who loves international women.

        I have been saving up some articles for the occasion: here are two marvellous bios of trans lesbian elders.

        Jan Morris. [Content note: the article is in the Guardian which takes a somewhat transphobic editorial stance, though this article is very positive towards trans women. However it does deadname Morris and includes a picture of her from back when she was presenting as male.]

        Sandy Stone, a couple of years old from Vice but it came to my attention recently.

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        World film project: Pakistan

        Thanks to ambyr's rec, we watched Dukhtar ['Daughter'], (2014, directed Afia Nathaniel).

        ambyr described this very well: it does include misogyny and violence, but ultimately it's a hopeful film. The film feels almost like a stage play; it is almost entirely about the characters, a mother trying to save her young daughter, and the roadster who reluctantly helps them. The camera doesn't dwell either on the beautiful scenery (there are mountains in the background, but no gorgeous cinematic shots) or on the violence; there are quite a few shootings in the film, but it's never gory because it's not about gun porn, it's about trying to escape from that violent world of gang / tribal violence. Quite a bit of it is filmed in shaky-cam style as if it were just incidental video of people's lives.

        The characters are all really vivid, and I cared about them a lot, partly because the film is so careful to avoid piling on the drama. The tribal enforcers who go around shooting almost-random people in order to make people fear them are squalid, not glamorous. The elder who is desperate enough to sell his 10-year-old daughter for protection is basically pathetic rather than evil. The main character, Samiya Mumtaz' Allah Rakhi is beautiful and brave, but not really a heroine, she's desperate and runs away with her daughter with almost no plan for how they're going to survive. In other words she's really plausible for a barely literate woman married at 15 and sent to a remote, very patriarchal village in the mountains.

        The romance between Allah Rakhi and Sohail is likewise really understated. He's not a white knight saving the princess, and in fact they even joke about how much he doesn't fit that romantic stereotype. He's a troubled person who has survived and escaped from the Taliban training camps, and he doesn't really want to get involved but can't just abandon a desperate mother and daughter to their fate. They have a certain amount of tenderness, but don't instantly fall in love and it's not clear whether their relationship will last, or whether it will end up being romantic or more friend-based. I also really liked that the dashing, handsome man who is avuncular with the kid and flirts with the mother in a rather aggressive way turns out to be a bad guy, not the love interest.

        The ending is really odd. The credits just happen in the middle of a desperate car-ride taking the heroine to hospital bleeding from a gunshot wound. I think we're meant to infer that she survives but it's really not clear.

        Next up: Nigeria, our first African country. Any recommendations of Nigerian films? Ideally from the 21st century, and not primarily about violence or depressing real-world history.

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        • world film project

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        World film project: Nigeria

        Nobody had any recs for Nigeria, so we poked around a bunch of internet best of lists and came up with Lionheart, (2018, dir Genevieve Nnaji), which turned out to be a great choice.

        Lionheart is about a young business woman, Adaeze, who has to overcome sexism and save her father's struggling transport business. The director, Nnaji, also plays the title role and does a brilliant job. What I particularly loved about this film was that it undermined my genre expectations of feel-good feminist films. Adaeze doesn't have to outsmart and triumph over the sexist men, she has to learn to collaborate with people different from herself. And the company doesn't win by beating its rivals but by conducting a merger that at the start seemed unthinkable, requiring cooperation between her Igbo, Christian family and some Hausa (I think?) Muslims.

        In particular, the eccentric uncle who is inexplicably appointed as acting MD when everybody knows it should have been Adaeze turns out to have some key strengths. He is in fact only annoying, and not a jerk. His people skills and intuition perfectly complement Adaeze's business acumen. (And how nice to have a female lead be the excessively competent and rational one!)

        Adaeze does experience some sexism, particularly creepy men who expect sexual favours in return for investment in the business. But most of the antagonists are just nasty in a gender neutral way, like they want to sell the business to a conniving rival for quick money.

        Anyway that was a really sweet date-night movie and I do feel our film project is back on track

        Any recs for Bangladeshi films? We are most excited about 21st century films not primarily about violence or depressing real-world history.

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        • world film project

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        Plague diary 23/03: Lockdown

        Well, as they say, that escalated quickly.

        Day 5 (Friday): Stayed home all day with jack. We ordered takeaway for our date night while we still can. The delivery guy wore a proper facemask.

        Day 6 (Saturday): Woke up feeling kind of grim. Decided, on consultation with my partners, that I was fairly sure it was just a cold, so we agreed I would go ahead with my planned evening with cjwatson and the children.

        In the morning I virtually 'attended' a livestreamed service, which is a really really new thing for my community who normally ban telecoms and electronics on the Sabbath. It was weird, but I felt good for praying with the community even if I wasn't actually interacting with them directly. In the afternoon I did a virtual play readthrough over Zoom, organized by the lovely wildeabandon. It was really really fun, and I got to see the faces of friends I haven't seen for ages, as well as a couple of internet acquaintances I had no mental image of previously. The play was Loves labours lost and I played a couple of small but fun roles, Lady Katharine, a slightly bitchy court woman, and Sir Nathaniel, a pompous curate.

        And then I walked to my partners' house, and it was sunny and seemed basically normal. Plus I was feeling completely better by mid afternoon. I took a winding route to stay most of 2m away from any other pedestrians. We played Labyrinth and watched TV and I stayed the night.

        In the morning (Sunday) there was more TV and another game, Robot turtles, a sort of cut-down, child-friendly version of Robo Rally, which the children have got much better at since we last played. And we walked part way together to metamour's house where there was mother's day planned, which I didn't join in with, I went home to jack. We went out to the local shop, I walked with him to enjoy the spring weather and he did the actual shopping, as I'm in theory more vulnerable than him.

        Sunday evening I did my chevruta (traditional paired Jewish text study), which has always been online because my partner is in New York, and we had a long and pleasant video call with some old friends of jack's I don't see often enough.

        Today, day 8, well, jack and I stayed home, mostly working. And anxiously watching the news of how most of the country treated the weekend as a bonus bank holiday and flocked to tourist spots and crowded into parks and gardens. It was kind of obvious the restrictions would have to get stricter, if that was how people were interpreting more gentle restrictions.

        Then they cancelled the daily "briefing" (I haven't really been listening to them as it's mostly just our incompetent prime minister waffling with no substance) for a COBRA meeting. I carried out my intended plan of collecting Judith from OSOs' for a Hebrew lesson, and am I ever glad I did. Because as of an hour ago, and starting from tonight, we're no longer allowed out at all except for "essential" purposes. And we're explicitly no longer allowed to meet friends and family. So I don't know how long it will be before I get to hug my partners again.

        In a way, lockdown isn't very different from how we were already behaving, with one vulnerable person in each of our three houses (me and metamour have asthma, girlfriend is pregnant). We were already going out only once a day for exercise, we were already only visiting shops to buy, like, food. But what it has taken away from us is that we can no longer bounce between the three houses, treating the polycule as a closed pod. I think our behaviour for the past week has been safe. If I walk a kilometre to my partners' house, that's no different from walking a kilometre in a random direction to get exercise. But the problem is everybody thinks they're an exception, (and multi-household poly relationships are never thought of in official rulings), so now it's forbidden.

        The announcement says three weeks, but I think what's actually going to happen is that people will again not take the restrictions seriously and it will have to be extended.

        Personal status: I thought I was doing ok, and the tighter restrictions are almost certainly necessary and not really a surprise. But it hurts.
        Social circle tally: three cases, including one person I see face to face (though not for at least a month). 8 mostly online acquaintances with suspicious symptoms.

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        Boots. Mended. We’ll see how the patches hold up. Now I just need to acquire a sufficiently long raincoat.

        View on Instagram https://ift.tt/2mPe4Ss




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        Tasks Completed This Weekend

        Laundry. Built deer protection for my garden. Purchased materials for deer protection for my apple trees. Dishes. Mended one sweater and one pair of jeans. Reinforced neckline on another sweater in an attempt to have it fit better. Culled my wardrobe. Verified that garden deer protection withstands wind warning type winds.




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        Wind of change

        Возникший месяц назад образ - лиф с открытыми плечами из чёрного стрейч-бархата и чёрной тюлевой юбки, надетой поверх длинной белой шопенки (вдохновлённый, прямо скажем, нарядом Грейс Келли в "Окне во двор"), внезапно послужил толчком, и всё покатилось, как с горы.

        Вечером 4 ноября, одновременно уставшая и полная сил, я, перед конкурсом костюмов, который должен был состояться назавтра, прямо, как была, в коротком платье-тельняшке, моём талисмане, в котором сплю в поездах, использую в качестве домашней одежды на конвентах, надела прозрачную юбку. Просто, чтобы показать коллегам, какая она красивая. Ну и корону заодно, по той же причине. Подруга Г. посмотрела... и сказала: "Всё, так и ходи. И выйди на закрытии на сцену".

        В домашнем мини-платье до середины бедра?! В прозрачной юбке? И к этому корона набекрень?! Но... но... Нет! Нет-нет. Нет...

        ДА. И тёмно-красная помада. И нет, в тапочках я не пойду, не уговаривай. пойду босиком. Балетные ступни с тёмно-красным лаком - тоже аксессуар. Зеркало! Чорт, хорошо-то как...

        А когда 6 ноября мне предложили топор, я снова сказала "да". И Фея-с-Похмелья превратилась в Добрую-Фею-с-Топором. Почему с топором? Ну... Какой конвент, такие и феи.

        А вчера, после семнадцатичасовой поездки в машине и возвращения домой, ещё хватило сил разобрать гардероб. Лакированные сапоги со шнуровкой, чёрные леггинсы и прозрачная чёрная юбка с бархатным поясом превратили предстоящую скуку в радостное предвкушение. Новую жизнь обрели любимые полосатый свитер, тельняшка-от-Хелависы с воротником-хомутом, кардиган в полоску, золотистая рубашка, рубашка-с-буквами, и, и...

        The wind of change
        Blows straight into the face of time!

        Жемчуга подождут.





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        I still always confuse June and July

        Ugh, well, I still didn't finish the video I mentioned last post (it is just a video version of some of my chess papers from this last SIGBOVIK; don't get too excited), but I made a lot of progress on it this weekend. This one has a lot of custom software, some of which is hours of work for like 10 seconds on-screen. This approach is "fun" but not efficient. At least I have a good approach to the video so it's just a matter of turning the crank now.

        I finished The Messenger. My verdict is that it is good. Some aspects of it are fantastic (8-bit graphics and writing) and most are very good, but the game was not very hard and the "metroidvania" aspects of it were mostly about retreading ground between distant teleports. I managed to get all the achievements, which I don't usually do, but there was just like one hard one left.

        Speaking of hard ones, next up is/was Dead Cells, whose verdict is great. This is a grindy (lots of unlockables/upgrades) roguelike platformer with really excellent controls and "flow", almost feeling like a twitchy fighting game at times. It's no "Spelunky" or even "Crypt of the Necrodancer"; what set those apart for me is how the design of the random level generation really tended to create these interesting situations and puzzles. But this game has an impressive amount of content (the graphics and the sheer variety of weapons/powerups both stand out to me) and is just really fun to play, except when you die (which is always). Just now I finally beat the game on "Hard" (second boss cell) so it may be time to retire. I bought like 9 more games on the Steam summer sale, after all!




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        30 Weird Chess Algorithms: Elo World

        OK! I did manage to finish the video I described in the last few posts. It's this:


        30 Weird Chess Algorithms: Elo World


        I felt pretty down on this video as I was finishing it, I think mostly in the same way that one does about their dissertation, just because of the slog. I started it just thinking, I'll make a quick fun video about all those chess topics, but then once I had set out to fill in the entire tournament table, this sort of dictated the flow of the video even if I wanted to just get it over with. So it was way longer than I was planning, at 42 minutes, and my stress about this just led to more tedium as I would micro-optimize in editing to shorten it. RIP some mediocre jokes. But it turns out there are plenty of people on the internet who enjoy long-form nerdy content like this, and it was well-received, which is encouraging. (But now I am perplexed that it seems to be more popular than NaN Gates and Flip-FLOPS, which IMO is far more intetersting/original. I guess the real lesson is just make what you feel like making, and post it!) The 50+ hours programming, drawing, recording and editing did have the desired effect of getting chess out of my system for now, at least.

        Since last post I played Gato Roboto which is a straightforward and easy but still very charming "Metroidvania." Now I'm working my way through Deux Ex: Mankind Divided, which (aside from the crashing) is a a very solid sequel to Human Revolution. Although none of these games is likely to capture the magic of the original (one of my all-time faves), they do definitely have the property that you can play them in ways that the developer didn't explicitly set out for you, and as you know I get a big kick out of that.

        Aside from the video games, I've picked back up a 10 year-old project that I never finished because it was a little bit outside my skillset. But having gotten significantly better at electronics and CNC, it is seeming pretty doable now. Stay tuned!




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        Why do posts have to have a 'title'?

        Hi,

        Not too much to add this month. A new direct flight to Montreal this summer popped up, so we took a trip there last weekend. I had never been, and it is a fun city, with good food, beer, music, geodesic domes, and other things. I always try to participate in a local running race if I can, and there was a small 10k fundraiser near the Olympic stadium. I managed a 43m39s (about 7 min/mile), which is not bad for an old guy, finishing in 11th place. It's not like I was just out for a jog, but I certainly didn't put maximum effort here, because I also wanted to enjoy the rest of my vacation day and anyway I retired from the 10k distance in post 990. I used to think that I was never going to be able to beat the times that I recorded in my late 20s when I felt young. But the decade+ of regularly running hard must have some long-term effects, because I'm pretty sure I could have run 6m30s miles here without dying, and perhaps with a death effort (not to mention losing 10 pounds or so) I could have set a personal record. This also happened with a 5k I did a couple years ago. Good to not feel washed up, but of course this is just talk unless I prove it!

        Speaking of old, I'll probably turn 40 before the next post (September 27)!

        I have been getting deep into this project described in the previous post, but which remains confidential, as they do. But it finally gave me a reason to get an oscilloscope! I have a lot of traveling to do in September so I'm unlikely to finish it (and video, etc.), but the project is still very much in the fun state, so maybe that's good news for me.

        Almost out of time to even finish this post before the month expires. But brief recommendations: I've been playing and liking Dicey Dungeons. It is good and has a very wholesome and pleasant style. Sometimes you need that. I also really like the new album called Anak Ko by Jay Som. Great production, songwriting, vocals, everything.




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        Strawberry Fields Forever

        Happy 40th birthday to me! I'm currently in Connecticut visiting with the whole family, which is only somewhat coincidentally on my 40th birthday weekend. The main thing is the pizza! Two quick updates from this month, strawberry-related:

        One of my all-time favorite games, Celeste, just got a new free 9th chapter (which is sized more like three chapters). This was a mixed blessing since over a year ago I finished all its hardest levels (all achievements) and then managed to pry myself from it. So I felt compelled to get the two new achievements to get back to 100%, but it was a somewhat hypnotizing and RSI-inducing grind. (Especially since I had gotten pretty rusty. I even forgot that you can hold onto walls, which made the first few levels much harder...) The worst part was that the final level was rumored to be kinda ridiculous, and the "WOW" achievement even moreso, so I was feeling worried about that the whole week it took to get through the prior 99. All told it was pretty worthwhile; the level design is really admirable as usual, and it stays true to the signature difficulty curve. I recommend it.

        Second is a font sighting sent by a friendly Internet stranger. This one is from a fairly popular (18M views this month) music video called Fresa, which features Columbian Reggaeton artist Lalo Ebratt. A sighting in such a video would be interesting, but the wildest thing is where it is:


        Lalo Ebratt's "THUGGER" neck tattoo


        Yes, that is Action Jackson used on his highly permanent neck tattoo that reads "THUGGER" (presumably short for "Tree Hugger"). It seems to be a fairly new tattoo, but you can find many more images of it to verify. I hope it ages well!




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        Washer Collage

        Hi! I've been stuck inside for weeks, probably just like you. I go out running every day, dodging people, but otherwise it's lockdown-mode. Our washing machine promptly broke, so I had to replace that thing. It became a project, because (aside from the difficult but mostly uninteresting process of getting it onto the second floor) one of the things that contributed to the last one's failure was its not-very-stable footing, and I wanted to do this one well. The thing resides inside a nice (but probably unnecessary) tile basin, which poses a few problems: It would make it impossible to get to the bottom doors on the machine, and it makes it impossible to adjust the feet in situ for leveling purposes, and the basin is not at all flat. The weirdly-shaped surface meant that my CAD prospectus was not very useful, which is annoying because I like to measure like 200 times in CAD and then cut once.


        Figure 1. Click to zoom


        The other problem is that I didn't have the right wood for this, and although Home Depot claimed to be able to do a same-day shipment, they gave me the runaround for over a week (I still don't have it). It's understandable, but our piles of laundry were getting a bit dire, so I just had to make do with what I had. In figure 1(a) I sawed through these 6x6 timbers with a 3.5" saw, which took like an hour. Then I used the also-too-small table saw to mill that into the smaller size I actually wanted (figure 1(b)). Then, I painstakingly test fit the logs in the basin, and sawed/planed/chiseled/sanded them until they were sitting stably on that curved surface without wobble. This was a real pain. The best advice I have for doing this was to get the tile sopping wet, then place the wood there for a moment, and then see where the high spots are based on where the wood is wet. (It would work better with some dye or something, but I didn't want to ruin the tile, ugh.) At that point we have some logs that were nice and sturdy, but not necessarily level gravity-wise. My solution here was router-out cups for each of the washer's feet, which I could set the depth of so that the washer would be level without any adjustment. (This also has the nice advantage that the washer can't jump around more than a few millimeters!) This was accomplished by using a laser level for an accurate level, and then putting some objects of fixed height (here the feet from the old washer, which will be disassembled for its more exciting pieces) into each cup, and iteratively routing the depth until they all touch the laser line exactly (Figure 1(c)). All that work paid off, though, because when we finally dropped the washer into place, it was as level as a spirit level can possibly indicate (Figure 1(d)). No pictures of the install here because this is like in my bathroom and that seems weirdly intimate to put on the internet for some reason.

        SIGBOVIK is tomorrow, but this year there is no in-person event due to the shelter-in-place order! The proceedings is shaping up nicely though, and there is some "podcast" expected. I have a few silly papers in there, but I'll save those for tomorrow. No talks from me this year; the whole situation in the world has been sort of draining my creative energy, but hopefully I will start feeling good again soon.




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        You will get through this.

        So this is week…4 (I think?) of self-isolation.   The days blend in together.  I look through the news to see when this will all pass but there are no clear answers.  Lately though I’ve read small hints about the … Continue reading



        • more than meets the eye

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        Welcome to the quicksand.

        I’m not sure if it’s depression or just life catching up but I’ve been having a lot of quicksand days.  Those times when you feel like you’re moving in slow-motion and things that should take 10 minutes for a normal … Continue reading




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        Lots of weird but interesting stuff

        It’s Sunday so that means this is a good place to put all the stuff that doesn’t fit anywhere else, like: ONE Let’s Pretend This Never Happened has a new cover and it’s adorable.  This means that if you have … Continue reading




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        Button, button, who’s got the button…

        This isn’t a real post but I thought you might enjoy. I collect buttons.  I have for years.  And a few of you enjoy them as much as I do so yesterday when someone in the comments asked me for … Continue reading




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        Get up, get up and get down

        I work from home, and the marvelous company for which I work gave me a VariDesk standing desk. I can adjust it to either a standing position or a sitting position, and I do so multiple times per day. Sitting now being the thing that’s going to kill us, I try to make sure I […]




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        Swinging into the final third

        I went to the cardiologist the other day, and my numbers all look good. LDL cholesterol is still a wee bit high, but trending in the right direction. I’m exercising, eating right, doing all the things I’m supposed to be doing. But I had an odd thought. I turn 60 this spring. Ferrett and I […]



        • Health and fitness
        • Life and relationships
        • Philosophy

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        In which I am still a grade school child just trying to make this adult thing work

        I’ve been working a regular, 40-hour week since December now. Before that, I had Fridays “off”–I worked on client work, yes, but I also ran all the errands and did all the chores, leaving me both weekend days pretty much to myself.   What I’ve discovered, in the past three months, is that I resent […]



        • Life and relationships

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        Way back




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        On The TURING Away




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        Wonderellita!