Central Park

we are so fortunate that we can be in touch with nature,wild lives, even in the middle of manhattan : )

Preparing for winter

also this tims of the season, lots of birds are in sight.
seems like they are trying to store enough fat for winter.
they all look chubbier than usual...
berrries are everywhere, and sometimes, hundreds of birds can be seen, singing, churping, like it's their holiday season : )

i justify my tremendous appetite these days, "yes, im in harmony with nature. i need to "store fat!"

one of my favorite, beautiful cardinal was so close to me this morning.

Autumn in New York

i had never paid attention, but since i started to walk in central park every morning, i realized that how fast color changes this time of the season.
literally in a few days, leaves can turn from green to beautiful yang color.

another detox meal

well, actually this is a kind of meal that i eat almost everyday at home.
healthy, balanced, pretty, and yes, yummy!

burdock root and carrot(kimpira style)
black soy bean and onion
steamed broccoli
sauteed seitan, chestnuts(from Joel's backyard), leeks and cabbage
miso soup
brown rice with soba(buckwheat)

now, im ready for the weekend indulgence : ) right?

more detox meal

next night,
chick pea with onion and carrot
apple(again, from the organic farm, japanese sweet potato and chestnuts(from Joel's backyard)
stewed butter nut squash and daikon
branched greens
miso soup
brown rice and sweet brown rice

detox week : )

after lots of great washington wine and delicious but rich garmet foods, my body needed a week of detox.

this is my monday macrobiotic dinner.
azuki bean and kabocha(yes, from the organic farm in Skagit!)
nishime(stewed) daikon radish
branched kale and japanese turnips
sauted arame seaweed, onion and carrot
miso soup
brown rice, sweet brown rice and hatomugi(pearl barley)

colorful and delicious!

bonfire, yin and yang

it was a cold evening (yin).
Joel, the host, made sure the bonfire was kept on.
naturally, people gathered around the fire (yang)
and it made us peaceful....

it was as if i was experiencing the most basic, fundamental human nature set deep within our DNA.
human beings became human beings by using fire (hence, cooking).

felt like, looking at the flame brought me back to the core.

i think we need this kind of experience from time to time.
we seem so divorced from the nature, and forget some important things in our lives.

nothing else is needed.
just good food(and wine), good company, and being in nature.

where there is a good food,

people gather...
and they are happy : )
simple as that.

hospitality

the owner of the house, Joel and Denice, were such a wonderful host.
made everybody feel at home.
it was a bit chilly evening, but the BBQ was set, and fabulous paella and salmon was served.
my friend, the birthday boy, is vegetarian, so there were two kinds of paella, including vegetarian version(w/finger potatoes,beet, maybe onions?), soooooooo goooood!
thank you, Denise, Amy and Vince!

chest nuts!!

my friend's party was held at his friend's house.
while waiting for food to be ready, we picked up chestnuts.
yes, there was a big chest nut tree in the backyard!
i don't remember when was the last time i picked up chestnut like this myself.
so much fun!!
i cooked them with rice when i came back home.
very "autumn dish" in japan : )

felt like....

this horse was talking to me.
"hey, you! just relax and enjoy your life!"

sunset, view from the garden

living in this kind of beautiful environment, i guess people would grow into completely different character.
more calm, humble and peaceful, instead of aggressive, arrogant and angry (oops, that's me living in new york city!!)

and sun set

Skagit County

about 1 and a half hour drive from seattle, Skagit county is where my friend's party was held.

i immidiately fell in love with this beautiful place.
vast fields, mountains--even snow capped ones!--in the distance.
the the air was so clean and clear, and i could not help but breathe deeeeep so my lungs were cleansed : )
i have to say, the air was delicious!

Azuki Kabocha

after i came back to new york, i made this healing macrobiotic dish, azuki kabocha, using the pumpkin from Mother Flight Farm.
the kabocha is so sweet,dense,rich and beautiful yellow/orange color.

recipe
cook azuki bean---soak over night, and cook with a pinch of sea salt, small piece of dried kombu seaweed, about 45min with pressure cooker or 1hour with a pot.
cook kabocha with water and sea salt, in a different pot till soft.
mix, add a bit of soy sauce and simmer for a fewminutes.
if no time for cooking azuki bean, use Eden's canned organic azuki bean.

Don't be fooled by fake food!

kabocha!

then there they were, my favorite japanese pumpkin, kabochas!!
she told us that the farm used to ship the kabocha to japan!
afraid that my bag would be heavy thouth, i still could not resist to buy this beautiful organic kabocha, along with some apples, asian pears and homemade strawberry jam : )

Hazel nuts trees

and in the backyard, there were a few hazel nut trees along with apple trees!
to be honest, ive never seen a real hazel nut tree before.
Jude show us how to crack the nuts, and let us taste the freshest nut : )
yum!

freshly milled whole wheat!

Jude was just milling fresh wheat with this tiny mill when we stepped inside the little barn.
i have never seen it before!
by the way, a few weeks before, i just had a chance to see a rice mill at kushi institute.
naturally again, i bought this fresh stone ground whole wheat : )

Organic Farm

the purpose of thisshort trip was to visit my friend, Mark, for his 50th birthday.
we drove from seattle to north, enjoying beautiful scenery.
we were so lucky since the weather was just gorgeous for the whole weekends!
i mean, i was in washington state!!

then i saw a sign,"organic farm and food stand".
naturally, we stopped this cute farm called Mother Flight Farm, received a warm welcome by this beautiful lady, Jude : )

Green Starbucks!?

i'm not a coffee drinker, so i was not so big about visiting the first, original starbucks in pike place market.(opened in 1971, the logo is slightly different)--i went there anyway,tho, and kind of enjoyed it : )

but what really caught my attention was this green starbucks near by.
certified LEED, using recycled stuff for the building materials and interior.
liked the atmospher : )

Seattle!!

My first trip to Seattle!
such a beautiful city : )
and lots of coffee shops!
shame that it was only for a weekend....
but had a great time there!
the pic is a view from a ferry.

saturday lunch after green market

and i made a nice lunch when i got back from the market, using all the fresh autumn produce : )

pumpkins!!!

any season is fun to go to green market, but in fall, begining of yin season, full of yang color! yellow, orange, my favorites : )
look at these beautiful pumpkins!
they are from an organic farm, Norwick Meadow Farm.
i bought some kabocha today : )

another macrobiotic meal

i just love cooking and eating now.
more than ever : )

last night's menu was
tofu steak.
blanced green
stewed hijiki, carrot and dried tofu
and my favorite of the night, stewed lentils!
* w/ brown rice and miso soup

Walking before Breakfast

one of the things that i loved doing when in becket, and decided to continue when i come back to the city, is WALKING.

ive always looked forward to getting up to breakfast, but now, even more so.
i get up a little earlier than before, and after a cup of hot kukicha tea, i walk to central park.

sometimes i stop, and do some gentle streches and breathing exercise, and continue to walk.
and often times, i'm greeted by variety of birds : )

walking stimulates meridians running through on the foot.
so by the time i get back home, im soooooo hungry!

also i found out, this gives me so much energy throughout the day.
blood, lymph, and qi, i can feel all circulating in my body!