What if….

What if the hokey pokey is what it’s all about? lol

I saw that magnet on a fridge the other day. And it set me to thinking….. (Danger Will Robinson, Danger)!

I have spent a lifetime of adjusting to the things that are in this world, supporting others, fixing others, being sometimes happy, sometimes not…

We’ve all been there right?

RIGHT CHEF MARIAN!

Thank you.

But in the last 5 years my thinking has shifted. I’ve gone from the ‘prove myself’ mode, to ‘been there, done that, now what’ mode! (I was one of two people that built nationwide corporations and put a company on the Cover of Inc. Magazine, was nominated for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year three years in a row).

And now? In addition to continuing to be the person at the top of that food chain, dealing with regular business issues, assisting in advising about day to day situations that come up, brainstorming about the future of these companies, walking the food shows, developing relationships with vendors, putting their products up on our site  (shoot pix, photoshop, name, describe, price)?

YOU DO ALL THAT, CHEF MARIAN?

I do all that and more… Hey…. Wanna see what the other part of my life looks like?

You can go on American Telegram, 800-Flowergram.com, 800-Candygram.com and soon to be Winegram.com to enjoy ordering gifts for yourself or others. I’m in the process of adding lots of healthy organic options! And there is organic dark chocolate up there right now! YUM!

THAT WAS A SHAMELESS PLUG, CHEF MARIAN!

I know. I know.

Sorry. lol

Back to this blog: Well, we all know I’m following my passion……. teaching people not to be afraid of their own kitchens, showing people how to substitute and combine good healthy flavorful products to make good healthy and flavorful meals. Going into restaurants and re-doing their menus and re-training their chef/sous chef to create healthier more flavorful food….. I’ve also created ‘No-Face-Goes-Un-Fed’ to end hunger in San Diego, and I am now part of a brilliant team that is soon to plant organic gardens and food forests all over this city and down in tijuana, plus creating a festival towards the end of the year that includes an Awards Show to honor celebrities that are ‘green’….. I’m partnering with many chefs on many projects….

So that’s my ‘stuff’. But what about who I am and what I think?

And what about who you are and what you think? (You get where I’m going here? This blog really isn’t about me).

GOTCHA CHEF MARIAN. TELL US MORE …….

We all have these ongoing ‘stories’ we tell about our lives….. And when you listen to someone’s ‘story’, know that it’s just that. It’s how they saw things from their perspective. It’s their story, that they tell over and over again, sometimes embellishing, sometimes not.

But let’s dig a little deeper. What about the ‘story’ that runs in your head? In the quiet moments…. when no one’s around? The things that people said about you as a child, that continues to repeat itself as a monologue to yourself?

Well, at some point you have to slam the breaks on and say  S T O P ! At some point you have to recognize the stuff you’ve been telling yourself isn’t true. May have been true one time. But it isn’t true now.

You can decide to have a happy life. Decide to take all that judgement you’ve been doing your whole life, and put it to the side (that’s not to say if you bump into someone you know has no integrity, you should forget that). But going forward, how about viewing the best part of people? How about deciding to stop being judge and jury and simply help where you can, and enjoy what you can. Don’t you think negativity effects every cell in your body?

YES CHEF MARIAN. WE HEAR YOU.

And when a challenge is put in front of you, how about knowing it’s a ‘pop quiz’ to see how you react and handle any given situation? And if you come away from it, feeling bad…. you can pat yourself on the back for recognizing that, knowing that there will be another ‘pop quiz’ on the same topic, and next time you’ll have a chance to do that better. Or if you come away from a situation feeling fine, congratulating yourself on a job well done…. looking up at the universe and smiling, saying “You almost got me. Nice try”!

If we turn ‘situations’ into a game of sort, knowing we are being tested to be our ‘best’ self, doesn’t that shift how we view our lives? Doesn’t that shift our happiness factor into full gear?

And what if the hokey pokey is what it’s all about?

Ya feel me? Well, stop feelin’ me. I’ll have ya arrested! lol

Happy Eating,

Chef Marian

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Occasionally, I have ‘guest bloggers’. These are chefs and nutritionists that have something more to offer. Today is no exception. Not only will I be cooking on stage at The Del Mar Fairgrounds this summer with Chef Marissa, but I have also come to know her as a good friend.

Marissa has been in the food industry for about 25 years. Restaurant ownership, kitchen management, entertainment, event coordination and professional organizing are brought to the table with Marissa’s ‘The Intuitive Kitchen’™. TIK™ presents a focus on natural foods, meaning a wholesome, balanced approach to eating.

And people that have taken her classes have this to say:

“Marissa’s preparation and presentation are phenomenal!   She provided thorough and easy to understand information.  The class itself was inspirational, informative and very entertaining. I could see a future for Marissa hosting her own culinary show!”

-Erica D., participant

Without missing a beat I asked…. “Will you blog for me”?  She said: “Yeeaaah”!

So here you go. An ‘Ode to Kale’…….

Happy Eating,

Chef Marian

~     ~     ~     ~     ~     ~    ~    ~    ~     ~     ~     ~

Kale (photo From Eating Well)

“O, Wondrous KALE, How Do I Love Thee…?”

I love Thee braised, sautéed, steamed, roasted, chopped, rolled, tossed into a soup, layered in a casserole, blended in a smoothie, snuck into a puree, featured in a SALAD!!  Shoot, I wonder what you can’t do?  Probably not so good to wash my car…

What the HECK did we eat before you became such an adored “Superfood” Rockstar as of late, having worked your way up from a long-time unsung cameo role as Garnish??   Of course You are still lovely to behold in garden borders, colorful and hardy, but we have embraced you as the nutritional powerhouse that you are (cancer combatant, really?) and this is definitely one of my favorite ways to enjoy your ample supply of calcium, vitamins (especially K!), fiber and antioxidants:

Raw Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

(I strongly suggest using organic veggies, esp. in-the-raw, for flavor and nutrition.)

1 Bunch of Kale, any variety* (ideally, a mix):  chiffonade [ribbons]

Carrot (as much as you like!):  grated or “shaved” with a veg. peeler

Sweet Onion, any kind, tho’ red is pretty (how much do you like?):  thinly-sliced

Red Cabbage (how colorful do you want this?):  shredded

Some Kind of Seed (pumpkin, sunflower, chia, etc.), toasted or raw

*Lacinato is nice but doesn’t hold the dressing as well as Green or Red Russian: mix ‘em!

Toss all of this together, except seeds.

Make this dressing:

Tahini, ½ cup

Tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, 1 Tbsp. OR 1 heaping tsp. Miso Paste (red or yellow)

Fresh Lemon juice:  depending on lemons, ¼ c, or however much you like

Fresh Garlic, at least 1 large clove

Fresh-ground Pepper, to taste (I like the “rainbow” mix of peppercorns)

Shake or blend and toss into salad.

Add seeds and EAT, while singing “My Favorite Things”.

Intuitively Yours,

Marissa

The Intuitive Kitchen

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