"Tarantino Oranges" - I LOVE IT!!!!

Did you rename the movie in your head to....

Orange Pulp Fiction.

 

Neet - of the two creations, I think that mine is the less exciting one!   

As I was eating mine, I couldn't help but think that olives would work in it, but I wasn't brave enough to try it - the freshness of the salad on the palette was just too darn appealing.

Blood oranges have a very short season here *sob* - but if you ever encounter them at Clintons or elsewhere, PLEASE do try again.

They are so beautiful juiced.  Granted, it is probably a little freaky to see a glass of scarlet pink/red orange juice, but man oh man the taste!

It can be a little funny to see the colour of them, but I see them as little sunsets when cut - yellow, into orange, into red. 

Maybe if you cut them quickly and then squint a little as you juice them so that you blur your focus, and can't see their funny little ways! 

A large glass of blood orange juice is one of my favourite things in the world.  But, they are not everybody's "cup of tea". 

I just  them so much.

Anyone who has been walking these halls long enough will know that my favourite orange of all is the blood orange.  Lo and behold, I happened to read in the paper today that fennel and blood oranges make a lovely combination.

I had been gifted a gorgeous small fennel bulb by a friend, and I had some blood oranges in the fruit bowl (the season has just started), so I thought I would test the theory and make a petite salad tonight.

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb
2 blood oranges
Splash of olive oil
Splash of apple cider vinegar
Mixed Greens

Here's what I did:

- Finely sliced the fennel bulb - a number of ways for different shapes/textures (but always finely sliced).
- Peeled and cut the segments of one blood orange.  Some of these I actually chopped  up.
- Dressed with the juice of half another blood orange (the remaining half I chopped and added to the salad)
- Splashed a little apple cider vinegar and olive oil into the mix.
- Mix well and leave for 5 or 10 minutes so that the flavours can dance and mingle a little.

I had some exquisite baby greens that were also gifted by a friend.

If I was serving this for guests, I would probably serve on the bed of micro greens, but I just mixed mine through the salad.

It is a lovely light & fresh salad that, if you like fennel and citrus, will tingle your taste buds.

Enjoy!

Well get cracking then - you've still got the weekend! 

Ah, but how he may have LIVED in those 50 years - and how much joy & accomplishment may have resulted from achieving even half a list. 

Jedi - I think the first thing on your list should be to come up with a screen name that you're happy with! 

Veggie - Coconut oil used topically can actually be drying for some skins.  I have found this to be true, as have others here.  Coconut oil in summer on the skin is nourishing, but in Winter with the ravages of wind and less humidity in the air, I have found that I simply can not use coconut oil.  It dries my skin out even more.

In summer, I happily use coconut oil on my body, but in winter I use olive oil, applied after a warm shower.  For me, the results are much better.

I just thought I would mention that, just in case it helps.

miss g

For what it's worth - one of the most successful ways of storing fresh greens for me is to rinse them well, shake off any excess water, and then wrap them in unbleached paper towel and pop into a freezer bag, and put into the fridge.  The paper towel may need to be changed if it becomes too wet, but my greens don't last long, and I don't buy them in bulk - rather, as I need them.

As Frangipanni has noted - rinsing and spinning greens, and storing in tupperware is also a very successful method.  Lettuce can be spun in the Zyliss salad spinner, and stored in the spinner in the fridge, once you tip out the water that has been spun off the leaves.

Greens rock!

Yes - I liked the emotional eating aspect too. 

It is often thought that women have the market cornered on emotional eating...so it was refreshing to hear of one man's journey through the terrain of emotional ups & downs, the cycle of "suppressing" those emotions with food, and how he overcame that.

I'm still seriously thinking about starting a Phil fan club! 

I agree wholeheartedly on Phil.  He is glorious, inspirational and seems such a lovely man.

I listened to this interview yesterday, and it's fab!

FREEDOM.  Of course!  I knew that there was a battle cry that echoed across the rolling hills while the tartan was a'flapping.....but I couldn't remember what it was! 

For what it's worth, I think you are at the plate, and "up to bat".  We all are.  We might be hitting foul balls or striking out, rather than hitting home runs, but we're all in the game.

If by a sense of urgency, and a feeling that you have not yet stepped up to bat, you mean you have a certain impatience for knowledge or understanding, then I certainly empathise on that score.  But, you may have a different idea of what you mean by saying that you wonder when you shall step up?

Interesting that beloved Yogananda uttered that "life is tedious"....especially for one who (to me) seemed to face the world with nothing less than the most awe inspiring equanimity.

I might cross-stitch Theodore Roethke's words on my closing ceremony banner....

What's madness but nobility of soul
At odds with circumstance?

 

You're welcome John.

You have danced with Kriya for how long now (and it has waited for you)... I'm sure it can wait a little longer - until the timing is right.

Perhaps the things that seem of "far lesser value" are the things that should be holding your attention right now?

I personally can't offer any clues to your dream.  But maybe you should re-watch Braveheart, make sure your kilt is clean and strap on your sporran! (and learn the appropriate battle cry - Hokahey isn't going to "fly" if you're wearing a kilt!) 

I agree that these are strange times, and that we all have a role to play in the unfolding drama, as we always have.

I don't necessarily feel a sense of urgency currently, but I keenly sense an "acceleration" is occurring.  If looked at in a particular light, perhaps they are one and the same thing?

I look around and I see things accelerating, and people struggling to cope.  I see common threads more than I see separation.  I see small pieces of myself in each and every human being – I see it very keenly lately. I can see fear, hurt, neglect, worry, joy, pain etc.

I read about heinous crimes, an increase in mental illness, increased suicide rates etc. and it is heart breaking to me, because I see these things as evidence of the struggles that human beings are faced with.  And always I will feel "there but for the grace of God go I."  I see no difference between any one of those individuals and myself.

Yes, it is a comfort that "all is at it should be".  That is something that, especially now, I have to work very very hard at.  And I mean very hard.  I have to remind myself over and over of the perfection of it all.  And still, on a daily basis, I am prone to forget it.

Perhaps the games have already begun? 

I have to be brutally honest and say that I'm quite looking forward to the closing ceremony.  And perhaps a nice cup of tea and a piece of cake.

Michelle

Note:  Having said that I feel no sense of urgency - I did actually read your post before going to bed, powered off my laptop.....and then pondered in bed.......and then felt compelled to actually get back out of bed and reply.  So, perhaps I really do sense urgency.   

John - I'm just bumping this in case you didn't see it earlier, and it is of interest.

Well that's odd.  My eyes would be described as hazel green, I think.  The hazel colouring is centred around the pupil, but the rest of my eye colour is definitely green.  Even my optometrist agrees. 

Looks like I get to sit in the corner with Neet.   

Welcome Therese, and the very best of luck with your 4 month challenge.

It is my humble opinion that there is no "the TRUTH" when it comes to diet.... but that we each find our own truth in that regard.  And that  individual truth may change from time to time as lessons are learned, adjustments made and our bodies send clear signals for us to act upon.

Best wishes for forging your own path and discovering your truth with regard to raw food.

Enjoy the ride!

Hey Angie,

You're so creative, thinking of the chux to strain the nut milk - let nothing stand between a gal and her nut milk, I say! 

Maybe it was the chux.  Maybe it wasn't.  Who knows?  Chux might be impregnated with some nasties that have upset your stomach?

Until your nutmilk bag arrives, perhaps buy a cheap pair of panty hose or trouser socks - that might be a safer option.  Or, if you have one of those bags for delicate lingerie - that could work too.

Another thing to consider..was the banana ripe?  I know that any unripe fruit makes me feel really unwell almost instantly, and bananas are no exception.

I also find that I can only really drink nut milk based smoothies on an empty stomach, otherwise it can cause me grief.  Did you have anything in your stomach when you had the nutmilk?  Sometimes this can cause upset.

Perhaps if you try again in a day or so, on an empty tummy (with out the chux ) and see how it goes.

I have no idea on the fat content of almond milk, but almonds are not a "fatty" nut.  Even though you're not actually eating the nut, you are eating the nut  because the nutmilk is made of water + whatever amount of nuts are mushed and don't end up in the pulp.  But, I wouldn't worry about the fat content if you are eating lots of balancing fruit, veg & greens.