beef stew (my grandmother's recipe)

in a dutch oven, brown:
1-1 1/2 pounds of stew beef
1 large onion, medium dice

add:
4 cups water
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 Tbs salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp each pepper and paprika
dash of allspice

while that's stewing, cut up:
4 large potatoes into 1" cubes
4 carrots into 1 1/2" pieces, then into "pillars" that are longer and thinner than they are wide
4 parsnips cut like carrots (see above)

add veggies to meat and onion. cook til done, adding more water to cover, if necessary.
when cooked, combine 2 Tbs cornstarch w/ 1 cup cold water. add to broth to thicken it.
remove both bay leaves. allow stew to cool sufficiently and serve.

bulgur-rice pilaf

in a medium saucepan, cook:
1/3 cup sliced almonds in
1 Tbs butter
for 5-6 minutes on low heat til toasted.
remove almonds from pan.

to same pan add:
1 Tbs butter
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced green onions
saute 3-4 minutes.

add:
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white rice
1/2 cup bulgur
1/4 tsp thyme
bring to a boil. reduce heat. cover and simmer 15 minutes.
remove from heat and let stands for 10 minutes.
stir in toasted almonds and serve.
serves 6

pasta shells and broccoli

cook:
1/2 lb of pasta shells
rinse in cold water and set aside.

steam, just til bright green and sufficiently cooked:
1 head of broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

sprinkle broccoli with:
3 Tbs lemon juice

heat:
3 Tbs oil
2 Tbs butter

use it to briefly saute:
3 garlic cloves, minced

toss garlic and oil w/ pasta shells. add broccoli w/ lemon juice, toss again.
serve w/ grated parmesan.

maple-mustard glazed potatoes and string beans

preheat oven to 400 degrees

place in a 9 x 13 pan:
2 lbs small yukon gold potatoes cut into 1" pieces
1/2 lb string beans, halved
1 onion, thickly sliced

mix and add over veggies, combining well:
3 Tbs soy sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 Tbs dijon mustard
2 Tbs oil

cover w/ foil. cook in 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.
stir and toss. lower oven temp to 350 and cook for 25 minutes...uncovered this time.
stir and toss. cook for another 25 minutes uncovered.

slaw chez nous

toast in a dry cast iron skillet then cool:
2 Tbs almonds
2 Tbs sesame seeds

toss:
2 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 shredded carrot

mix:
1 Tbs canola oil
1 Tbs cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt

combine dressing w/ all the above
makes 3 cups of cole slaw

a few new quotes

this place where you are right now, god circled on a map for you. --hafiz

even after all this time,
the sun never says to the earth, "you owe me."
look what happens with a love like that.
it lights the whole sky. --hafiz

fear is the cheapest room in the house. i would like to see you living
In better conditions. --hafiz

of the many buddhas, I love best the girl
who will not leave the cycles of pain before anyone else. --from "kuan yin" by gary snyder

anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you. --david whyte

you must learn one thing. the world was made to be free in. give up all the other worlds except the one to which you belong. --david whyte

there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. --maya angelou

never throw anyone out. --audrey hepburn

my love. you were born with wings. why prefer to crawl through life? --rumi

i want to unfold, for where i am folded, there i am a lie. --rilke

pumpkin oatmeal cookies

these taste like old-fashioned oatmeal cookies, but with whole wheat pastry flour and pumpkin puree added, they're even healthy for you!

preheat oven to 350 degrees
spray 2 cookie sheets w/ non-stick spray

in a large bowl, mix:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

in a medium bowl, mix:

1 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
2 Tbs molasses
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla

add wet ingredients to dry and combine.

fold in:

1 cup pecan pieces (if you live near rooster brothers in ellsworth, substitute their maple-ginger roasted pecans instead...you won't be sorry! just break them into little pieces by hand)
1/2 cup raisins (optional...my friends all say they're perfect without and not to change a thing)

drop by tablespoons, 1" apart on cookie sheet.
bake 16 minutes at 350 degrees. cool slightly before removing from cookie sheets.

whole wheat banana bread

makes one standard loaf (doubles easily)
350 degrees, bake for one hour

mix in a mixing bowl:
1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

mix in a separate bowl:
1/3 cup canola oil
2 beaten eggs
3 well-mashed, overly ripe bananas

combine the two mixtures, then bake.

sesame kale salad w/ peanut dressing

in a large bowl, add:

1 bunch kale...just the leaves, torn into little pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into little pieces
2 carrots, grated

in a cast iron pan, toast:
several tablespoons of sesame seeds til light brown

then toast:
1/4 cup slivered almonds til light brown

add seeds and almonds to vegetables once cooled

for dressing, whisk in a small bowl:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 Tbs rice vinegar
1 T soy sauce or tamari
1 Tbs sesame oil
1/4 cup water (additional if needed to thin dressing)

toss veggies, seeds and nuts w/ dressing til well combined. enjoy!

pumpkin bread (whole wheat...yummy)

preheat oven to 350 degrees
grease and flour 3 small bread pans (7 x 3'ish)

mix wet ingredients in a large bowl:

1 can pumpkin
4 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2/3 cup water
2 cups sugar

mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl:

3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger

mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
stir in:
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
til just blended.

pour into the prepared pans. bake for 50-55 minutes til toothpick comes out clean.

annie's "plus"....15 minute dinner

take two family sized boxes of annie's shells and cheese
cook according to directions (i use soymilk instead of milk)

while the pasta's cooking, saute:
1 large onion, chopped medium or small dice
when it's cooked, add:
1 pkg veggie crumbles (hamburger substitute)

mix the onion and "veggie burger" into the prepared shells and cheese
serve w/ a frozen vegetable and dinner's ready in 15 minutes
because the veggie burger keeps well in the fridge, this is an easy meal to keep on hand for one of those nights when you don't have time to cook. leftovers are good for lunch the next day.

beef barley stew w/ sweet potatoes

in a large pot, heat:
2 Tbs canola oil
over high heat.

add:
2 1/2 lbs stew beef
in batches. cook until browned (4-5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
remove beef from pot; set aside.

add:
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
cook til softened (8-10 minutes)

sprinkle with:
2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt

add reserved beef and
2 cans beef broth plus
2 cups water
bring to a boil.

stir in:
2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 cup uncooked barley
reduce heat to low.

cover. simmer til beef and barley and sweet potatoes are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

turkey-meatball soup

1 lb ground lean turkey (93% fat-free)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
mix and form into 1" meatballs.
add 1 Tbs oil to a large pot. cook meatballs til browned (5-6 min).
remove from pot and set aside.

add an additional 1 Tbs oil to the same pot and add:
1 small onion, chopped
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp pepper
cook on medium heat til just softened

add 1/4 cup white wine.
cook one minute.

add:
4 cans of chicken broth (14 1/2 ounces each)
turn heat to high til broth boils.
add meatballs.
reduce heat to medium and simmer til meatballs are cooked through
turn heat to high. stir in:
4 ounces small pasta (small bows, ditalini, elbows)
cook 8-1o minutes til pasta is tender

for additional nutrition, you can also add a handful or two of chopped fresh baby spinach.

remove from heat.
stir in 2 Tbs fresh parsley.
serve.

ginger soft drink

this recipe is from "sundays at moosewood"...another cookbook i recommend. the recipes are divided into chapters based on where in the world the recipe originated. each chapter is introduced by someone familiar with the culture writing about its cooking traditions and their personal connection to that culture. reading this cookbook is like taking many small, culinary vacations. this recipe is from the chapter on "africa south of the sahara."

in a large nonreactive pot or bowl (glass, enamel, stainless steel), add:
1 cup grated peeled fresh ginger root
1 cup sugar
2 tsp whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks

pour:
6 cups boiling water
over the top. cover and set aside in a warm place, in the sun if possible, for an hour.
strain the liquid through a fine metal sieve.

add:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (lemon is okay, but we prefer lime)
1 cup orange juice
8 cups cool water
set aside in a warm place for another hour or so.

gently strain the liquid again. take care not to disturb the sediment at the bottom.

serve warm, chilled, or on ice.
we like it mixed w/ seltzer water as homemade ginger ale.
store in the fridge in a non-reactive container (like a glass jar).

chocolate chip peanut butter cake (vegan, whole wheat)

dry ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt

wet ingredients:

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup peanut butter (room temp)

add wet ingredients to dry. fold in:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts

greased 9" pan (round or square). 350 degrees. 25-30 minutes til golden on top and knife comes out clean of batter (but not necessarily chocolate).

cool to room temperature or just warm. cut into wedges or squares and serve.

popcorn w/ olive oil

air pop a batch of popcorn

while it's popping, microwave 1/4 cup of olive oil (regular or extra virgin) in a small pyrex custard dish til warm (half power for a minute should do it). drizzle the oil over the popcorn, sprinkle w/ sea salt (and parmesan if desired). mix well and eat. you can also add nutritional yeast or dill if you like.

this is much healthier than the microwavable popcorns and tastes much more natural as well. our air popper gets a lot of use. this is a snack our daughter fixes for herself a lot!

vegetable cakes

this recipe is from the lompoc cafe's cookbook.

saute:
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp garlic, minced

add:
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup shredded zucchini
saute for 5 minutes or so. add:

1 1/2 cups corn (i use frozen)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
cook til corn is just softened (another 5 minutes or so)

place mixture in a bowl and let cool thoroughly.
then add:

6 Tbs all purpose flour
4 eggs, beaten
blend well

heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large skillet pan (non-stick)
i use a 1/4 cup measure to drop batter onto pan to make veggie cakes.
saute 3-4 minutes til nicely browned on one side, then flip to cook the other side.
repeat til all batter is used, adding additional oil as needed.

excellent when served w/ your favorite salsa or lowfat sour cream on top.

pasta-meatball minestrone

meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey
little milk
1/4-1/2 cup breadcrumbs
salt, pepper
1-2 Tbs worcestershire sauce
mix together. make little meatballs. bake at 350 on a sheet til done.

soup:
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
olive oil, 2 Tbs
saute the above ingredients, then add:

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 tsp italian seasoning
2 cans beef broth or 3 cups total broth
1 16-oz can tomatoes, undrained (cut them up if need be)
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz fresh, chopped spinach (or 1/2 pkg frozen)
meatballs

simmer 45 minutes. add cooked pasta (elbows or ditalini is good). cooking the pasta separate from the soup keeps it from swelling too much in the soup.

sprinkle soup w/ parmesan cheese to serve.

crab cakes w/ orange shallot sauce

this is what henri and i have almost every year for our anniversary dinner. i double the recipe for the sauce so we can have some to put over our steamed brown basmati rice and over our carrots (cooked, w/ salt and pepper). the recipe is from the cookbook "beat this!" by ann hodgman. her cookbooks are the funniest i've ever read, and i highly recommend any of them. please note that unlike my other recipes, this one is high in fat due to the sauce. that's why this is a special occasion, once a year recipe for us. i've also made the crab cakes in mini bite-sized for large get togethers and served the sauce in a bowl for dipping. big hit!

crab cakes:
1 cup breadcrumbs (i use store bought, plain)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup mayo (i use hellman's light)
1/4 cup minced onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 Tbs minced fresh parsley (i cheat and use dried, smaller amount)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 lb fresh crabmeat

mix the above. form into 4 patties. dredge in flour. pan fry in hot oil (2 Tbs or so of canola) til golden brown. keep warm in a 200 degree oven while you make the sauce (or do what i do and make the sauce first up until the point where it only needs the butter and cream whisked in...that part needs to be done at the last minute).

orange shallot sauce (double this, if you're smart!)
in a saucepan, boil:
2 minced shallots
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup white wine
til reduced to 1/4 cup

using a wire whisk, whisk in
1/2 stick butter, cut into bits
til it's all absorbed. it'll be about the consistency of mayonaise.
remove from heat.

whisk in:
1/4 cup heavy cream (i use light cream and it's fine)

serve the sauce over the crabcakes (and your steamed rice and carrots). indulge.

stuffed mushrooms (divine...)

8 oz fresh mushrooms (baby bellas work well, or stuffing mushrooms)
remove and save the stems

put mushroom caps in a shallow baking dish.
fill each cap 1/4 full w/ fresh lemon juice

chop mushroom stems and saute with:
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs finely chopped onion
til soft. then add:

1/4 tsp chopped fresh parsley (i cheat and use dry)
1 clove minced garlic
dash of pepper
cook one minute. then add:

1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup bread crumbs

stuff each mushroom cap. bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

bean dip (use w/ whole grain tortilla chips)

4 cups of cooked beans (pinto or kidney), heated til hot
1/2 cup minced onion
3 Tbs cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
dash of tabasco or other hot sauce (optional)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder (or a clove freshed minced garlic)
1 tsp chili powder
2 cups grated cheese (cheddar, colby, monterey jack or mexican blend)

put all ingedients in a food process til cheese is all melted and the mixture is smooth.
serve w/ whole grain tortilla chips. i'm a big fan of the sweet potato multigrain ones.

turkey meatloaf

preheat oven to 350 degrees

mix together:
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (93% fat free is what i use)
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oats
1 Tbs worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
optional: one medium-large onion, small dice

put into a loaf pan and bake for an hour.
you might want to put in some potatoes to bake at the same time.
(and yes, ground beef works just as well. it's just my kid only eats poultry and fish).

chicken fajitas (whole wheat version)

saute in olive oil:
1 large green peppper, cut into long strips
1 large sweet red bell pepper, cut into long strips
1 large vidalia onion, cut in half and then cut into medium-thin slices
1 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

once the above is cooked through, add enough bottled fajita sauce to coat the veggies and chicken. we use the "world harbors" brand. you can find it at hannafords between the ketchup and the pickles...with the other sauces. one bottle will last quite awhile (maybe 6-8 times of this recipe) and is much more flavorful than the powdered packet that comes w/ fajita dinners.

heat up a package of 8 whole wheat tortillas in the microwave. to do this, stack them on a plate. get a paper towel wet, squeeze the water out of it. place the paper towel over the tortillas and microwave for a minute, til warmed through.

place veggies and chicken on the tortilla, fold up the bottom then fold the edges over. start eating from the open end and have a napkin ready, just in case.

homemade vegetarian egg rolls

saute the following til tender and in the following order:

2 Tbs olive oil (or canola)
1 clove minced garlic
1 medium vidalia onion, chopped fine
1 sweet red bell pepper, diced small
16 oz bok choy, chopped to small pieces
2 cups napa cabbage, sliced thin and then chopped fine
2 grated carrots
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 tub of extra firm tofu that's been mashed and drained for awhile in a colander

combine the following and add to the above onced cooked:
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sugar

let filling cool. i prefer to drain it in a colander before making the egg rolls so they don't get overly wet.

1 package egg roll wrappers (24 approx). place 3 Tbs filling on each wrapper across the middle. roll as the package instructions tell you to. fry in canola oil at 350 degrees til crispy golden brown. drain on paper towels on a plate. serve w/ the following dipping sauce or with premade duck sauce from your supermarket.

hoisin dipping sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbs water
2 Tbs rice vinegar (mirin)
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp chili paste (optional)

one pan granola

preheat oven to 275 degrees

mix 5-6 cups oats w/ a total of 6 cups of any of the following combined:
whole wheat flour
wheat germ
pumpkin or sesame seeds
dry milk powder
coconut
walnuts or pecans
up to 1 cup bran

mix the above w/ 2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp salt
heat the following in a large, rectangular casserole or glass oven dish in the oven:
1 cup canola oil
1 cup honey
1/2 cup water
2 tsp vanilla
toss in the 12 cups of mixed dry ingredients. bake for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. when cool, you can add:
2 cups dried fruit (raisins, dates, craisins, etc)

makes 14 cups total

carrot soup

5 medium-large carrots, 1" chunks
2 small potatoes, quartered
cover w/ water and boil. simmer til tender. discard peels.

saute:
1 large onion
2 Tbs olive oil

add all ingredients together, those above plus the following:

2 cups milk
2 cups stock or broth
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
parmesan to taste
sprinkle of caraway seed

puree in batches in a blender or food processor. reheat. check seasonings to taste.

makes 8 cups. excellent served w/ crusty artisan bread.

african chicken peanut stew (ben's favorite)

saute:

1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, boneless, cut into bite-sized pieces
til chicken is just done (juices are clear)

add:

1 medium onion, sliced thin
2 Tbs fresh ginger (grated fine w/ a microplane grater or minced fine by hand)
cook 2 minutes

add:
2 cups chicken broth
cook 5 minutes

mix together w/ whisk in small bowl to make a paste:

2 Tbs peanut butter
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp mirin or red wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced

take 3 Tbs of broth from the skillet and add it to the paste to thin it. add the sauce to the pan and simmer 10 minutes. then add:

2 cups of fresh, chopped spinach
simmer 5 minutes.

serve over steamed brown basmati rice. great for treating a cold!

cinnamon walnut coffee cake (whole wheat!)

another recipe from Food to Live By, written by Myra Goodman. love that it's 100% whole wheat flour and a great way to eat your walnuts!

preheat oven to 350 degrees.
grease a 9 x 13 pan and set it aside.

mix the topping ingredients in a medium sized bowl:

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
5 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 cups coarsely chopped walnut pieces
stir to blend; set aside for now.

dry ingredients, large bowl:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

wet ingredients, small bowl:

1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla (i use 1 tsp)

add wet ingredients to dry. stir til just combined. pour batter into 9 x 13 pan. bake 45-55 minutes, til it passes the toothpick test of doneness. let cool an hour before eating, if you can!

sweet summer smoothie (all year round)

get out your blender

fill it 1/3 full with frozen whole strawberries
add a ripe large banana
add "amazing mango smoothie" by bolthouse farm til blender looks half full
add a packet (or two) of vanilla carnation instant breakfast
fill the rest of the way with silk soymilk

blenderize on high speed til well mixed. pour and serve.

pumpkin pecan muffins

This recipe comes from the cookbook Food to Live By, written by Myra Goodman (owner of The Earthbound Organic Farm). I have loved every recipe I've tried from it and recommend purchasing it so you have all her healthy, delicious recipes.

makes 15 muffins, so you need 2 muffin tins...either two 12 cup ones (leave the ones you don't need to fill bare) or a 12 cup tin plus a 6 cup tin (leaving the one remaining spot bare). likewise, you can bake these in 2 batches if you only own one muffin tin.

preheat oven to 375 degrees.

mix the streusel topping in a medium bowl:

1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 Tbs cold butter, cut into small pieces

using a pastry blender, two forks or your fingers, blend the above til it's crumbly and combined.

mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl:

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour (i use whole wheat pastry flour for at least a cup of it)
1 Tbs baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each: ground allspice, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon
stir the above together, then add
3/4 cups chopped pecans

wet ingredients, medium sized bowl:

3 large eggs
4 Tbs melted butter (i use canola oil or applesauce)
2 tsp orange zest
1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz)
2 1/4 cups sugar

whisk to combine well.

add wet ingredients to dry, just til combined.
spoon into muffin tins, filling almost to the brim of each cup.
sprinkle streusel topping over each muffin.
bake til golden brown, 20-30 minutes til they pass the toothpick test of doneness.
cool 10 minutes on a rack before removing from tins.

banana maple-walnut muffins

These are from one of my favorite cookbooks: Food to Live By, written by Myra Goodman (owner of the Earthbound Organic Farm. I have loved every recipe I've tried from her cookbook.

spray a muffin tin w/ nonstick spray
preheat oven to 375 degrees

mix dry ingredients in a large bowl:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

mix the following together in a medium size bowl and whisk to combine well:

2 large eggs
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla (i use a teaspoon)

add 1 1/2 cups of mashed very ripe bananas to the wet ingredients.
add the banana/wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until just combined.

fold in 3/4 cups chopped walnuts. do not overmix.
spoon batter into greased muffin tin, filling almost to the brim.
bake til golden brown, about 20-30 minutes, til they pass the toothpick test of doneness.
cool 10 minutes before removing from tin. these test best the day they're made.

roasted veggies w/ chicken sausage

preheat oven to 375 degrees
the following quantities make enough for two 9 x 13 pans because we like leftovers

peel veggies if needed/desired; cut into uniform bite sized pieces (1" pieces, approx.)
i use the following, but you can improvise and adjust based on what you have or what you like:

6 red potatoes, good sized
6 carrots, good sized
2 sweet potato, large
4 parnsips
2 vidalia onions (add these in after the first 20 minutes of baking)

toss veggies w/ olive oil (and rosemary, if you like it). divide between the two pans. bake for 20 minutes, stir, add the onions and bake for 20 more minutes. stir veggies to loosen them from the pan, then add:

1 package of chicken sausages, sliced thick. we use a natural maple apple sausage. bake 20 more minutes. they're done when veggies are carmelized and cooked through. add salt and pepper to taste and you're done. excellent left over for breakfast or to heat up at lunchtime.

barbecue sauce (easy and adaptable)

combine:

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup or molasses)
couple of minced cloves of garlic
couple drops of hot oil, if you like

in a 9 x 13 pan,
pour sauce over chicken thighs (skinless) or boneless ribs or thick pork chops, etc.

bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until meat is done.
the sauce is really good over steamed brown rice, or over cooked carrots or steamed broccoli.

whole wheat carrot-pineapple cake

this recipe doubles easily...good thing, too! cream cheese frosting recipe follows.

preheat oven to 350
spray round cake pan w/ non-stick spray

dry ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

combine wet ingredients in separate bowl:
2/3 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/2 cup crushed pineapple w/ the juice as well as the pineapple
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract

combine wet w/ dry ingredients til just blended. fold in:
1 cup grated carrot (i just use one large-ish one)
good handful of walnut pieces
good handful of raisins

bake for 30-35 minutes. check w/ a toothpick for doneness.
does not need frosting...very moist and densely delicious!

cream cheese frosting recipe (enough for one layer cake)

in a medium bowl, cream:
4 oz cream cheese
3 Tbs unsalted butter

add and combine gradually (one cup at a time):
3 cups confectioners sugar

add the juice of half a lime and mix well
spread over cake once completely cooled

dorothy allison, from "two or three things i know for sure"

women lose their lives not knowing they can do something different...i claimed myself and remade my life. only when i knew i belonged to myself completely did i become capable of giving myself to another, of finding joy in desire, pleasure in our love, power in this body no one else owns.

blueberry crisp

preheat oven to 375 degrees
grease a 9 x 13 pan

fill pan 2/3 full of blueberries, fresh or frozen

in a bowl mix:

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup butter (i grate cold butter, then mix it in)

spread filling evenly over the top of the berries

bake for 30 minutes

quotes about dance and dancing

to watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak. --hopi saying

we dance to change ourselves. only when we have done this can we try to change the earth. --crow dog

without dance, i cannot feel my soul, hear my heart or see my dreams. --nahara

dance is the only art of which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made. --ted shawn

where a dancer stands, that spot is holy ground. --martha graham

o body swayed to music,
o brightening glance,
how can we know
the dancer from the dance?
--w. b. yeats

technical perfection is insufficient. it is an orphan without the true soul of a dancer. --sylvie guillem

learning to walk set you free. learning to dance gives you the greatest freedom of all: to express with your whole self the person you are. --melissa hayden

if you hear a different drummer--
dreamer, take a chance.
the road you choose to travel
means the difference in the dance.
--d. morgan

the body says what words cannot. --martha graham

while i dance, i cannot judge, i cannot hate, i cannot separate myself from life. that is why i dance. --hans bos

if the foot of the trees were not tied to earth they would be pursuing me, for i have blossomed so much, i am the envy of the gardens. --rumi

the church says: the body is a sin.
science says: the body is a machine.
advertising says: the body is a business.
the body says: i am a fiesta.
--eduardo galleano

beside the fire, as the wood burns black,
a laughing dancer in veils of light
whose dance transforms the darkness to gold.
--abu abd ben abi-l-khisal

there is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. the world will not have it.
--martha graham

the only reason for mastering technique is to make sure the body does not prevent the soul from expressing itself. --la meri

remember that the dance has a dimension beyond the physical. the body--as imperfect as it always is--is only part of the picture. your energy, the quality of your movement, your feeling about the world, your dance spirit--that is what we see under the lights. --dance magazine 3/05

i have performed for thousands when they found me the exotic, vogue, daring, but i have danced, at any given time, for about ten people...they were the ones who left the theater forever different from the way they were when they came in. all my long, long life, i have danced for those ten. --ruth st. denis

without love, all worship is a burden, all dancing is a chore, all music is mere noise. --rumi

every dancer lives on the threshold of chucking it. --judith jamison in the new york times magazine (1976)

nothing would be done at all if we waited until we could do it so well that none could find fault with it. --cardinal newman

dance is the poetic baring of the soul through motion. --scott nilsson

long experience has taught me that the crux of my fortunes is whether i can radiate good will toward my audience. there is only one way to do it and that is to feel it. you can fool the eyes and minds of the audience, but you cannot fool their hearts. --howard thurston

everything in the universe has rhythm. everything dances. --maya angelou

to dance is to give oneself up to the rhythms of all life. --dr. maya v. patel

i can only believe in a god who dances. --nietzsche

dance can give the inarticulate a soul. --pamela brown

to dance is to be out of yourself,
larger, more beautiful, more powerful.
this is power. it is glory on earth
and it is yours for the taking.
--agnes de mille

in your light, i learn how to love. in your beauty, how to make poems. you dance inside my chest where no one sees you; but sometimes i do and that sight becomes this art. --rumi

the fear is worse than the pain. --shannon bahr

nothing can dim the light which shines from within. --maya angelou

i want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human. --oriah mountain dreamer

whole wheat quick bread

1/2 cup all purpose white flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
mix above ingredients in a medium sized bowl. make a well in the center.

stir together:
1 cup of buttermilk
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbs melted (cooled) butter or margarine
1 egg, slightly beaten
add to dry ingredients and stir til just blended

spray an 8" round baking pan w/ non-stick spray and dust it w/ flour. turn the batter into the pan. bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees. turn bread out onto a rack to cool. cut into 8 wedges.

dani's pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

1 stick softened butter
1 cup applesauce
beat til smooth

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
add to above and beat til light and fluffy

2 large eggs
beat in one at a time

1 tsp vanilla
1 can pumpkin puree
add to above as well

dry ingredients:
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
add a third of above to wet ingredients, mix in. add another third and mix, then the last third.

stir in:
12 oz of dark chocolate chips

drop by heaping tablespoons onto a cookie sheet sprayed w/ nonstick spray. bake 15-20 minutes or until cookies are brown around the edges. let rest on sheet for 2 minutes before removing w/ spatula.

candy's vegetarian chili

3 Tbs extra virgin oil oil
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp coriander
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp curry powder
saute the above spices in the oil over medium high heat in a cast iron dutch oven til fragrant

add:
an onion, chopped
12 oz veggie crumbles ground beef substitute
2 tsp soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
saute til onion is translucent

add:
28 oz can of crushed tomoatoes
1 cup water
2 cans of drained red kidney beans
1 cup whole kernel corn (frozen is fine)
1 large sweet potato (3/4 lb) cut into small chunks (i usually boil it separately, then add it, so the chili cooks faster)
optional: i also like to add a small can of stewed, diced tomatoes

stir well to combine. simmer til sweet potato is cooked and all the ingredients are well heated.

a.m. delight muffins

preheat oven to 375
grease a muffin tin

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
combine above and set aside

3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup milk or soymilk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
combine. add to dry ingredients.

fold in:
2 cups chopped peeled apples
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

fill muffin cups 3/4 full. the recipe says it makes 18 muffins, but my muffin tin is large enough it makes 12 muffins perfectly. bake at 375 for 25 minutes. let cool before eating.

oatmeal pancakes

1 1/8 cups milk or soymilk
1 cup rolled oats
combine. let sit 5 minutes.

2 T canola oil
2 beaten eggs
add to above

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
sprinkle of nutmeg
sprinkle of cinnamon
add dry ingredients to above

use scant 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. makes about 8-10 pancakes.
these deserve real maple syrup...esp warm maple syrup!

rainbow swiss chard fried rice w/ garlic scapes

steam 1 cup of basmati brown rice. set aside.

heat up enough canola oil to cover bottom of cast iron dutch oven.
saute a vidalia onion as well as 1/4" slices from about 4 garlic scapes (up to the flower bud part)
add 3 beaten eggs to the above and cook til done, along w/ 1 Tbs soy sauce or tamari
add chopped rainbow swiss chard, about half a pound of it
option: you can also add 4 cooked carrots, sliced into small bite-sized chunks
add cooked basmati rice, then a another Tbs soy sauce or tamari
stir in about 1 Tbs of hoisin sauce and a 1/2 tsp of ground ginger and mix well

oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (whole wheat)

1 stick melted butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

mix together
blend in:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 pkg really good chocolate chips

bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. try to let cool before eating.

homemade citrus iced tea...divine

squeeze 4 lemons and 2 oranges. set the juice aside.
cut the rinds into small pieces and put them in a big pot.
cover w/ 4 cups of water and simmer 10 minutes til the juice is out of the peels.
add 2 cups of sugar and stir til it's dissolved.
add 4 Tbs of loose tea.
remove the pot from the heat and steep several minutes.
strain. i use a fine mesh metal strainer.
add the orange and lemon juice plus 8 cups of water.

deep chocolate vegan cake

8" pan, oiled and dusted w/ cocoa powder in the bottom
preheat oven 375 degrees

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp b. soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar

mix the above in a medium bowl. then pour in:

1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup cold coffee
2 tsp vanilla
and mix til smooth

add 2 Tbs cider vinegar last, mix in and bake right away for 25-30 minutes.

angie's nachos recipe

get out a big round pizza pan and put tortilla chips (whole grain corn) in a good thick layer
over those put:
1 large grated carrot
1 vidalia onion, small dice
1 tomato, small dice
1/2 large red bell pepper, small dice
then dump a large can of bush's baked beans over that (original flavor is good)
cover all the above w/ a pkg of grated mexican cheese

bake at 350 for 15-20 min. til cheese is well melted
serve over triple heart lettuce mix...the colors look better & besides, it's good for you
put a dollop over low-fat sour cream on top and you're good to go

hilda doolittle excerpt from eurydice

at least i have the flowers of myself,
and my thoughts, no god
can take that;
i have the fervour of myself for a presence
and my own spirit for light;

and my spirit with its loss
knows this;
though small against the black,
small against the formless rocks,
hell must break before i am lost;

before i am lost,
hell must open like a red rose
for the dead to pass.

sesame peanut noodles

cook 1 lb thin spaghetti, drain and rinse in cold water. i use the ronzoni healthy harvest brand for extra fiber and really like it. set aside.

whisk together:
4 Tbs peanut oil
4 Tbs peanut butter
4 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbs light brown sugar
2 tsp minced fresh ginger (or equivalent ground)
1-2 pinches of crushed red pepper

toss w/ spaghetti. sprinkle w/ sliced green onions (1 bunch), 2 grated carrots and 1/4 cup of chopped, unsalted peanuts. this is one recipe i could live on and not get bored of eating it.

toby's enchiladas w/ fresh spinach

1 bag of fresh spinach, steamed (gently squeeze excess water out of it)
15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed (i actually use 2 cans)
1/2 cup of salsa
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 bunch of scallions, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced

optional additions for even more nutrition:
1 sweet potato, cut into small chunks and boiled til tender
1/2 cup corn

combine the above. wrap in whole wheat tortillas (pkg of 8), place in a 9x13 pan. sprinkle a pkg of already grated mexican cheese over the top. bake at 350 for 20 min. or until cheese is melted.

chocolate tofu pie

procure one of those already made graham cracker crusts
in your microwave, melt a 12 oz bag of good chocolate chips (i use ghiradelli dark chocolate)
in your blender, put a 1lb tub of silken tofu that's cut into big chunks
add the melted chocolate chips to the blender as well
add a capful of real vanilla
blenderize w/ the cover on til it's all mixed well...this takes a bit of occasional stirring
pour into the graham cracker crust and refrigerate at least an hour

pineapple fried rice recipe

start by steaming 1 cup of jasmati rice (i use my electric rice steamer...love it)
in a cast iron dutch oven, pour in canola oil enough to cover the bottom and heat to medium-high
add 2 beaten eggs and stir around til cooked
add a vidalia onion cut to small dice, along w/ 1T good soy sauce. cook til onion's done.
add your steamed rice and some more soy sauce til rice is well mixed
add some canned pineapple cut into small pieces (small handful, so to speak)
add 3 or so cooked til tender carrots, cut to small dice
add some cooked diced chicken or shrimp that's cooked and cut up
stir it all around til it's hot, adding a half dozen shakes of black pepper

she will be there also

where the frogs are singing their highest praises,
and it is the dusk they are singing into gradual midnight,
she will be there also--
bringing the blessing of tears into being
bringing the protection and permission of darkness.

where the cardinal is singing alone,
the highest branches swaying in summer's lilting breeze,
sound dripping like water over a pebble,
liquid sound falling like sweet rain,
she will be there also--
bringing the blessing of self, unaccompanied,
bringing the protection and permission of joyous solitude.

where the lynx lies blinking and waiting,
not a leaf turning to show where it's hunting,
she will be there also--
bringing the blessing of hunting and pouncing,
bringing the protection and permission of following a path to its completion.

where the otter dives and frolics, free and uncaring,
fearless and graceful in freely flowing waters,
she will be there also--
bringing the blessing of body and moving,
bringing the protection and permission of abandoning all bindings.

where the fox stands outlined in sunset,
black-footed and grounded, fur lined by fire,
she will be there also--
bringing the blessing of beauty unharnessed,
bringing the protection and permission of flames and ashes and transformation.

where the bear arises hungry from winter starvation
into new awareness,
she will be there also--
bringing the blessing of new hopes and old rhythms,
bringing the protection and permisison of learning to fill her own hungers.

imperatives

give me a heart that's open to breaking
give me a mind that's open to the unknown
give me a soul unafraid of failing
give me an eternity free of self-doubt

give me beauty in a brown paper bag
give me truth in a rear-view mirror
give me justice in a wide-open field
give me freedom on a dead-end street

give me hope while in hell's handbasket
give me patience to unstitch my own errors
give me courage to run while blind-folded
give me the balance of a candle's flame

when i come back

when i come back
i want to be a small horse
in a snowstorm.
when i come back
i want to whisper in the
tangles of childrens' hair.
when i come back
i want to find my voice
in a seashell.
when i come back,
i hope you won't have
gone anywhere. please
don't go, even then.

introduction

oh, my soul is an owl's soft wings
and my heart is a blue jay's feather.
my heart is a thing that dances.
my soul is a walk in foggy weather.

my life is a firefly's flight by night
and my death, an ocean of endless waves.
my death is a book i haven't read;
my life, the music of wind in deep caves.

my mind is a fire brightly burning
and my will is an oak tree's branches.
my will is a river that carves its own way;
my mind is a gambler who takes no chances.

my freedom is a red fox running;
my love is violets in dark corners growing.
my love is a wild hawk hovering high;
my freedom, a secret you'll not be knowing.

oh, my soul is a gypsy's dance
and my heart is a crow's ragged call.
my heart is a tangled forest.
my soul is an old stone wall.

wishes

i want to be the collar of your shirt,
the watch on your pulsing wrist,
the pen your fingers curl around.
i want to be your favorite music,
your last name, your shared pillow.
i want to be the rim of your coffee cup,
your steering wheel, the car keys
you search for so desperately.
i want to be the book you pick up to read.
i want to be your rear-view mirror.
I want to be the beach stone
that feels right in your hand.
i want to be as familiar to you
as macaroni and cheese,
as exciting to you as a naked dive
into cold water,
as necessary to you as
the daily intake of your breath.

winter wish

i wish you love for winter's warmth, love of
beauty in all its forms and the eyes
to see it when you stumble upon it:

ferns still green against
whiter, clear ice; frozen droplets
of waterfall spilling onto gray rocks
and birches glowing incandescent
against the leaded sky.

look up to see the
three-quarters moon
like a fat seal floating beneath a
cloud of frozen slush on ocean surface,
diving beneath it to surface into
clear, open skies again with her honest
inquisitive face turning towards open seas.

see three stars
fly with apparent motion above
the still, unmoving clouds like
three geese in pointed formation, flying
north with silent, white wings.

see oak branches reach with
tangled hands towards the one
remaining rattling leaf on the
outermost branch, hands stretched
in longing, and remember

what you yourself most long for
in your heart--what beauty most
touches you. whether ocean
with its white-sailed sheets of foam,
sand beaches wet with gull track,
ragged clouds and stars, a bird
feeder full of chickadees or
tree moss and bare twig,

may you find in our heart
and your world whatever beauty
your soul most loves
to light your way to spring's doorstep.

lightning

lightning
talks a blue streak
dresses in angelic rags
dances barefoot reels
runs down the stairs and
shocks the neighbors
sleeps intermittently and
sings opera off-key

lightning
is outspoken
speaks before thinking
(you can hear a pin drop before the
rumble of disapproval hits)
covers her embarrassment
with a brilliant smile
loses her car keys and
leaves the house swearing

lightning gives her kids static
wears electric blue
hums in the wires
rattles the cupboards
has impossibly long legs
flashes lacy underwear
and bolts for the door.

rabbit song

white spirit of
the forest, pass
over me. great
hunter with the
silent wings, pass
me by. i am small
and i am hunted,
but i am not
willing to die.

spirit song

When death comes for me,
I will be ready.
I will climb the West Wind
like a ladder, wearing
crow feathers in my long,
black hair. I will climb
slow and quiet, not looking back.
I will sit before the great fire
without fear, and wait for my
grandmother, the bear. I will
give up my body for a long
hibernation, but my spirit
will dance and dance, singing
my song of power:
Mother Earth, I am strong.
Lend me black wings for spirit flight.
Grandmother Bear, I walk
within your skin.
Brother Crow, I am free.
West Wind carries me.

five in flight

I.
Brown among bracken,
sparrows are blown like
leaves from autumn ground--
scattering like clay pigeons
in mid-air, filling the sky
with staccato notes.

II.
Pigeons plunge
from barn eaves
to hang-glide in
evening pastel--
wing-tips held carefully up
like little fingers above
teacups of fine china.
The sky hums with the whir
of pigeon wings and voices.

III.
The gull's gray wing-
feathers grasp
air like fingers,
beat as heart beats,
higher, to hover--
wings still,
but still held.

IV.
The Great Blue Heron
moves mechanically, pauses
prehistorically, then
folds itself into
a paperclip, and
rises with slow grace
into the heavy marsh air--
an algae-covered pond plant
held delicately in
slender beak.

V.
The plane pulls
ostrich plumes from
thin air--deliberately, as
if to impress. Its interior
hides a hundred hearts--
beating in its chest cavity
like the muffled beating
of so many wings.

if someone asks you

if someone asks you
if you've seen me,
say: "i'm not sure."

if someone asks you
how i live my life,
walk backwards.

if they ask
how i am when angry,
close your eyes.

if someone asks you
my name, say
a crow flying at midnight.

if someone asks you
if i am at peace,
point to the light
of a single candle.

if someone asks you
of my childhood,
hand upside-down
while wearing a blindfold.

if someone asks you
how long i love,
hold your breath forever
but do not die.

asked if i will ever forget
someone once loved,
dance a gentle dance
from sunset to morning,
never stopping to rest.

if they ask
the color of my soul,
look towards the smoke
from a fire, and nod once.

if they ask you
if i am happy with my life,
walk on your hands
wearing bells on your ankles.

asked the deepest secret
of my life, i would direct you
to the ocean's lowest tide
in night's deepest fog...
and it will not tell you.

until it is no longer night

her hands
are cutting biscuit dough as
supper simmers on the stove.
she will pour
the broth into a both. then
she will lift her glass,
left there
near the sink
filled with dishes
waiting to be done.

he will wait
to bend just above her
with want.
he will have her
hair in his hands
until it is no longer night,
but not quite morning.

until then,
the moon of
the neighbor's porchlight
shines round and full.
until then,
the transparent needle-points of stars
throw golden sparks
onto their roof.

who is it
who calls me inside?
what love calls to me,
but misses?

i will go back inside
my house to stay--
where our cats sleep,
where i brush my daughter's hair
as she nurses herself to sleep
while everyting in my house
quietly fills with dust.

i will turn my heart back
towards the man
whose night-hands i love
and wait for him
to bend over me
with my hair in his hands
until it is no longer night,
but not quite morning.

collected quotes

my life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened. --mark twain

no person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow. --alice walker

mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life. --sofia loren

we dance to change ourselves.
only when we have done this
can we try to change the earth.
--crow dog

to go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
to know the dark, go dark. go without sight,
and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings. --wendell berry

all you can do
is go through it,
and that's how small things
survive, like grass
pushes up through
cracks in the asphalt. --kirk robertson

and somewhere in the measured mass
of everything, imagine grass. --knute skinner

it is time to bust out of girlscout camp.
it is time to stop running
for most popular sweetheart of campbell soup.
--marge piercy

life always gets harder near the summit. --nietzsche

to have in this uncertain world some stay
which cannot be undermined
is of the utmost consequence. --adrienne rich

live as if you like yourself, and it may happen. --marge piercy

there are many kinds of courage & i don't have them all. --alta

you have a thousand prayers but god has one. --anne sexton

i found god in myself
& i loved her
i loved her fiercely. --ntozake shange

to live in this world
you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal,
to hold it against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and when the time comes, to let it go.
--mary oliver

blessed be my brain
that i may conceive of my own power...
blessed be my knees
that i may bend so as not to break.
blessed be my feet
that i may walk in the path of my highest will.
--robin morgan

and so long as you haven't experienced
this: to die and so to grow,
you are only a troubled guest
on the dark earth. --goethe

feathers, shells
and sea-shaped stones
are all as rare.
this could be our revolution:
to love what is plentiful
as much as
what is scarce. --alice walker

let the young rain of tears come.
let the calm hands of grief come.
it's not as evil as you think. --rolf jacobsen

if i have weaknesses, don't them blind me now. --paul simon

for every bad thing that happens to you,
find the good that keeps it in balance. --lucy robson

i am circling around god, around the ancient tower,
and i have been circling for a thousand years.
and i still don't know if i am a falcon,
or a storm, or a great song. --r. m. rilke

facing someone who will kill you, wound you, takes courage. but facing someone who will heal you perhaps takes more courage. --ruth hill

this shaking keeps me steady. i should know.
what falls away is always. and is near.
i wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
i learn by going where i have to go. --theodore roethke



by my life be i spirit
by my heart be i woman
by my eyes be i open
by my hands be i whole.
--ferron

she is a person in the world-with wrongs to right, stupidities to outwit, with her man when possible, on her own when not. she will be there, like any other, only once. therefore, she must, in the midst of tragedy and hatred and neglect, mightily enjoy the readily available: sunshine and pets and children and conversation and games and travel (tiny and large) and books and walks and chocolate cake. --gwendolyn brooks

here's the thing...the thing i believe. god is inside you and inside everybody else. you come to the world with god. but only them that search for it inside find it...i believe god is everything. i think it pisses god off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. --alice walker

when you starts measuring somebody, measure him right, child, measure him right. make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through before he got to whereever he is. --lorraine hansberry

the possibililties of life are so great and beautiful that to see less wears the spirit down. --nikki giovanni

be nobody's darling
be an outcast
take the contradictions
of your life
and wrap around
you like a shawl,
to parry stones
to keep you warm.
--alice walker

put the wild hunger where it belongs,
within the act of creation,
crude power that forges a balance
between hate and love.
--may sarton, "kali"

the heart of a woman falls back with the night,
and enters some alien cage in its plight,
and tries to forget it has dreamed of the stars,
while it breaks, breaks, breaks on the sheltering bars.
--georgia douglas johnson

heartily know
when half-gods go
the gods arrive.
--emerson

may all i say and all i think
be in harmony with thee,
god within me, god beyond me,
maker of the trees.
--chinook psalter

at night, make me one with the darkness.
in the morning, make me one with the light.
--wendell berry

the pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.
--marge piercy

clouds are flowing in the river, waves are flying in the sky,
life is laughing in a pebble. does a pebble ever die?
life is laughing in a pebble, flowers bathe in morning dew.
dust is dancing in my footsteps and i wonder who is who.
--evelyn beumkes

it will talk as long as it wants, this rain.
as long as it talks, i am going to listen.
--thomas merton

...do nothing because it is righteous or praiseworthy or noble to do so; do only that which you must do and which you cannot do in any other way. --ursula le guin

eagles never perch by balance.
eagles perch facing into the wind.
eagles perch by leaning against the wind
for balance.
eagles sleep this way...
show me the unexpected direction from which
the wind comes sudden
that i may face into it,
lean against its rising
and sleep this way.
--robin morgan

when spring comes with the third moon,
i know i am a burden
to my lord. but o my lord,
in the third moon of spring, the east
wind is a heavy burden to me.
--chu shu chen

blessed be all my fears and the losing of them...
blessed be change--and its sense of humor.
blessed be survival and its sense of honor.
--robin morgan

the wise man, no matter how he is treated,
knows that heaven does nothing without reason.
--su tung p'0

we are asleep with compasses in our hands. --w. s. merwin

i have woven a parachute out of everything broken. --wm stafford

we are what we pretend to be,
so we must be careful about
what we pretend to be.
--kurt vonnegut jr.

not to dream boldly may turn out to be simply irresponsible. --george leonard

it doesn't matter if the water is cold or warm if you're going to have to wade through it anyway. --teilhard de chardin

it's time again. tear up the violets and plant something more difficult to grow. --james schuyler

"what can i do to put my heart at rest?"
she said, "every morning and every night, and whenever anything happens to you, keep on saying 'thanks for everything. i have no complaints whatsoever.' " --old japanese story

it is harder to kill something that is spiritually alive than it is to bring the dead back to life. --herman hesse

the moon does not heed the barking of wolves. --kathryn lynn davis

there is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action. --goethe

if you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold onto. --tao te ching

the path into the light seems dark,
the path forward seems to go back,
the direct path seems too long. --tao te ching

care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner. --tao te ching

whatever i embrace becomes. --alice walker

but if you travel far enough, one day you will recognize
yourself coming down the road to meet yourself.
and you will say--yes. --marion woodman

a strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done. --marge piercy

i am too alone in the world, and not alone enough
to make every moment holy...
i want my own will, and i want simply to be with my will
as it goes toward action,
and in the silent, hardly moving times
when something is coming near,
i want to be with those who know secret times
or else alone. --rilke

we make the path by walking. --robt bly

is it logical you would be walking around entirely orphaned now?
the truth is, you turned away yourself
and decided to go into the dark alone. --kabir

there are no signposts.
the road is uphill,
and the wind in my face.
still i go on. --yellow bird

long ago, i learned how to sleep
in an old apple orchard whre the wind swept by
counting its money and throwing it away. --carl sandburg

let no one be deluded that a knowledge of the path can substitute
for putting one foot in front of the other. --m. c. richards

and if we are strong enough
to be weak enough
we are given a wound
that never heals.
It is the gift
that keeps the heart open.

--oriah mountain dreamer