Haifa, Israel - Baha'i Pilgrimage

"In brief, all in the Garden were recipients of the choicest bounties and in the end expressed their thanksgiving unto their Lord. O that all God’s beloved would have been present on this day!" 

~ Bahá'u'lláh

I'm still processing the amazing and glorious past 9 days of our Baha'i Pilgrimage in Haifa/Akka, Israel....for now here's my favorite 2 pictures from the trip:

Shrine of the Bab

Garden of Ridvan

CSAs are for lovers: fresh organic fruit and veggies

Veggies & fruit from our CSA have started rolling in! I’ve wanted to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) ever since I found out they existed. Location (sometimes laziness to travel far) and other things always got in the way. This year we found a CSA with a pick-up location that is a 10 minutes walk from our place. Our delicious organic veggies come from The Farm at Miller’s Crossing, a 200-acre farm in Hudson Valley, New York. We also got a fruit half-share from Breezy Hill Orchards, a third-party Eco Apple-certified orchard also located in the Hudson Valley. A single share of veggies a week is more than enough for my husband & I (see picture for proof). However, I sort of wish we got a full share instead of a half for fruit. A half share equaled a batch of organic strawberries that we ate in 3 days. Our CSA also offers shares in Eggs, Pasta, Meat, Herondale Farm Beef and Chicken, Cheese and Coffee.

There are tons of benefits to joining a CSA. I recommend researching if your community has one.

• It’s healthy! CSA vegetables are organic and free of harmful pesticides. Plus there’s nothing like having a batch of fresh veggies delivered every week to encourage you to cook healthy meals.
• It’s fresh! CSA produce is super fresh and delicious because it’s hand picked the same day it’s delivered.
• It’s affordable! Most CSAs have no paid staff and there is no wasteful packaging thus reducing costs. For veggies at our CSA a Single Share: $320 ($14.55 per week) & Double Share: $580 ($26.36 per week); Fruit Full Share: $264 ($12 per week) & Half Share: $176 ($8 per week)...so my husband & I only spend an average of $22.55/week for veggies and fruit ($11.25/person/week)
• It’s good for the environment! CSA is better for the environment because no chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used, and fossil fuels are not wasted on long distance transportation.
• It supports a local farm! As more and more small farms are losing out to ‘agribusiness’, joining a CSA is great way to support a family farm. Farmers receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm's cash flow. We paid for our CSA in full in April, then the picking season begins in June-November. CSA involve a ‘shared risk and reward’ agreement, i.e. that the consumers receive what the farmers grow even with the vagaries of seasonal growing
• It builds community! CSA is a great way to get to know your neighbors and get more involved in community activities. We've already gotten invited to some neighborhood block parties/events.

San Diego - Torrey Pines

I've been traveling every other week, between that and work there's not much time for blogging. In the meantime here's some lovely pictures of San Diego's Torrey Pines.

My husband and I spent 3 days enjoying the Cali outdoors with my older brother. Hiking and running trails, eating lemons & oranges from trees in my brother's backyard & eating lots of food.

Next stop Haifa, Israel in 9 days!!!!

Why I love Riga, Latvia

 Business took me to Riga, Latvia last week. I admit, I knew very little about the country/city before I left. I was pleasantly surprised at how lovely it was. Here are 9 reasons why I love Riga, Latvia:

9. In the summer the suns sets around 10:15 pm
8. Padlock bridge - the tradition is to put a padlock on the bridge on your wedding day, lock it and then throw the key in the water. The padlock can't be opened the same as marriage can't be divorced. 
7. Skābeņu zupa (Sorrel soup)- After years of drinking the Caribbean drink made from the flowers, I was able to try out the rest of the plant
6. Black Magic Cafe - they have secret Harry Potter like doors that open when an employee pulls down a statue on a bookcase
5. Dozens of creative ways to eat beets (in soup, in salad, steamed, baked, juiced)
4. Dried fish galore! Who knew dried sea bass would taste so good, plus 1 serving is 2 Lats ($3.50)
3. Parisian and Italian style cafes. I had an espresso and chocolate everyday :)
2. Tasty high quality food for 3 Lats ($5).  For example: a piece of baked salmon, beet salad, bread and cake all for $5 :)
1. The peaceful city allows you to enjoy a walk down cobblestone streets or along the river without the noise and crowdedness of normal cities

Brooklyn Half Marathon

Brooklyn Half Marathon in Coney Island

I PR'ed today! (that's Personal Record for the non-runners). I ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon in 1:40:33, averaging a 7:41 pace per mile....beating my goal of 1:45 and running faster than my 10K pace last year :)

Considering I was sick all week and hurt my achilles tendon last month, I was quite worried about how I'd run. Maybe it was my awesome breakfast of Tangerine energy gel spread on toast - I ran out of jam and decided to be really efficient and eat both in the same go. It doesn't taste very good so unless you're hardcore I wouldn't recommend it.

The course was a nice mix of hills, downhill and flat. It covered Prospect Park, the surrounding area and then a straight shot to Coney Island. The weather was gorgeous and sunny. My husband ran with me most of the way, finishing only 1 minute before me. All in all a great day!

Now off to the airport for a business trip to Latvia.

Tangerine Energy Gel on Toast

Strawberry Nut Shake

My friend who follows a Paleolithic diet recommended a few smoothies that involve soaked nuts/seeds for me to try. Although the Paleo diet which restricts carbs would never work for me, I like the smoothies...natural protein and sweetness 

Berry Nut Shake
2-3 cups pure water (depends on what consistency you want)
3 tablespoons almonds
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Stevia (didn't use)

Soak flax seeds and almonds in pure water overnight. Process the nuts on high in food processor or blender until ground. Add water slowly and process. Add berries, vanilla and nutmeg. Add stevia to sweeten to taste. Blend well

Yield: 2 servings

Brooklyn Food Conference: Saturday, May 12!!!

Excited for next week's free food conference in BROOKLYN! My husband and I have had this on our calendars for 3 months now. I downloaded the program of events and was pleasantly shocked by the 92 pages of options and information. So many workshops :)

May 12: 9 am - 6 pm
Brooklyn Tech HS
29 Fort Greene Place
Brooklyn, New York 11217

More information: On May 12, 2012 over 5,000 people are expected to attend this free, all day event filled with keynotes from notable food activists, workshops, panel discussions, food demos, family programming, art and much more. The 2012 Conference will help strengthen the cooperative effort of individuals, groups and organizations fighting everyday for a healthy, sustainable and fair food system. Food activists, local farmers, academics, restaurateurs and health advocates and all those interested in food justice will gather to discuss the global food economy and its impact on our lives.

Mission Statement: The Brooklyn Food Coalition is a grassroots organization dedicated to the vision of a just and sustainable food system in Brooklyn through community organizing, public education, and research and advocacy. The Coalition is fundamentally committed to building an inclusive, multi-racial, multi-cultural alliance of residents and community-based groups from all parts of Brooklyn, reflecting the borough’s rich diversity. The Brooklyn Food Coalition is composed of neighborhood-based groups, working committees, and affiliate groups all working together in Brooklyn on projects that promote food justice and sustainable food. BFC staff provide coordination between groups.