Matthew Stein, author of When Technology Fails

OK, This is a book that every single person on this planet should have. It's not a doomsday module, but a preparedness one that contains more information in one place than I've ever seen. When Technology Fails covers topics like:

*low-tech water purification
*wild plant identification (as food sources and natural medicine)
*first aid
*how to build shelters, natural houses
*how to stay calm in stressful situations
*preserving food
*what to put in your grab-and-run survival pack...

among literally hundreds of other important survival information. I found this little video that someone put together with Matthew Stein's voice in the background talking about how badly things are looking, but that we can buffer what is to come if we act now. We all know this... now if we can just get the politicians of the world to actually do something...

the Future of Food Movie Trailer (a must see movie if you haven't already!)

This movie is better at explaining what genetically altered food actually is than any other I've seen. It is terrifying but strengthens my resolve to grow my own organic food. You can either watch it on the net or go rent it. I think it's available for free at www.watch-movies-links.net under the documentary section.

This is josh (obviously before he cut off his dreads)

A vegan who's allergic to soy??

Yes, it's true. You may have noticed that I almost never use tofu or soy products in my recipes... or maybe you didn't, but I like to focus on on other sources of protein because I'm very sensitive to soy! You may not know you are allergic but here are some common symptoms:

*Bloated feeling after consumption
*Cramps and discomfort
*Gas
*Nausea
*Skin breaks out

Keep in mind that some of these symptoms may not occur until the next day, so it's difficult to tell sometimes. I found out while working at a vegan restaurant for a few months. I thought something was seriously wrong with me because I've never been so uncomfortable in my body as in those three months.

I'm grateful for the experience now though because I can warn other people. It just happens that soooo many vegan restaurants and recipes use tofu, soy milk etc in almost all of their dishes. And of course, in order to get to know those dishes and be able to recommend things, I had to sample them.

People always seem shocked when I tell them this and inevitably say "What the hell do you eat then?? What's left??" Well the answer is that I eat all sorts of incredible, beautiful food! It's actually really great because you have to be way more creative with your dishes than simply relying on tofu to save the day. Here are just a few great sources of protein that I love to experiment with:

1. Coconut!!! I love love love coconut
2. Almonds (makes the best milk you will ever have recipe here!)
3. Cashews (the cream of creams is made with raw cashews!)
4. Peanut butter
5. Sun flower seeds

6. Chick Peas! (I have trouble with some kinds of beans, but chick peas are fine for me)

7. Black Beans, Pinto Beans, Kidney Beans etc.

All of these things can be used in literally thousands of ways. Stay tuned and I'll how you how in coming articles.

Soy was traditionally used as a small part of meals but today it has become the it-word of the decade. Soy is used in everything from veggie burgers to cakes to salad dressings to face creams even. What the hell would soy add to your skin? Not much, but it sounds great doesn't it?

Anyway if you suspect you may be allergic or sensitive, try going without soy products for a week or two and then reintroduce it. If you have any adverse reactions you've got your answer. Don't be discouraged if you find out you are allergic, but you love tofu. Sometimes I indulge in a dish that I know is made with it. I just have to make sure I'm near a bed and a hot water bottle after I eat it. If you do choose to eat soy try to always buy organic. These crops are very heavily sprayed with the worst chemicals, and is not well regulated at all.

Here is a really good video about soy

I hope this helps :)

xoxo

Lyn

Huge chocolate corporations like Nestle use slave labour to produce their products. Support horizontal and fair trade chocolate.

Most people don't know the dark side of this industry. It's covered in shiny foil and fancy labels. If I'm craving chocolate when I go into a store that doesn't carry fair trade products, I walk away. My craving is not that great. I'll go to the next shop that does sell it.

We just found out that Cadbury, as of the Summer of 2009, is adopting fair trade chocolate! (thanks to an informed viewer called Captain.. Thanks!) Here is a link to Cadbury's blog
I'm impressed.

Really important water movie trailer:

How to find love

This is a photo of me in Costa Rica up in the mountains of Monte Verde. I woke up early one morning to see the sunrise and sat on the remains of an old wall that overlooked deep valleys. I was singing quietly to myself for some time when the most beautiful white horse approached me and was not afraid at all.

He came right up to me as I kept singing and let me put my cheek on his chest for what seemed like an eternity . I have never felt such awe and gratitude for an experience before. Luckily my friend Lila woke up, saw the scene and shot some dreamy photographs for me to keep forever.

Vegan Cranberry Pancakes with Cinnamon

This is what we had for brunch today! I'm finally posting the recipe for these beautiful vegan cranberry cinnamon pancakes...
It's extremely simple and the taste is out of this world!

Cranberry Pancakes:

2 cups unbleached flour
3 Tablespoons custard powder (most custard powders are vegan before you add the cow)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups water (add less if you like them fluffier- I enjoy them more crape-like)
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar if you don't have apple)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional if you like them fluffier- and yes it's vegan)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dried cranberries (as many as you like)

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk.
2. Heat up a pan on medium to low heat with a little coconut oil (or sunflower or vegetable oil).
3. use a ladle to pour the batter into the pan in medium-sized pancakes.
4. As one side is frying sprinkle dried cranberries over it.
5. flip it over when the right time comes (you will know because small holes will start to form on the surface).
6. Flip the beautiful pancake onto a plate and drizzle it with REAL maple syrup and powder it with a little cinnamon. (do not use false syrups- it's a crime).

This recipe makes about 8 medium-sized pancakes. Love it!!

Sedna

This is one of my favorite paintings that I won't sell to anyone. Oil on board.

famous vegans and vegetarians

Josh growing up vegetarian and then vegan.

Well for all those people who don't believe it's a good thing to raise children on a vegetarian or, god forbid, a vegan diet I have a six foot bit of evidence I'd like to present to the courts. Josh is now almost 16 (!!!!) and taller than me. He's extremely active, does well in school and is very talented at guitar.

As long as you feed your children well balanced meals every day they will turn out alright. Of course he's now in a junk food teenager phase, but he still helps me with recipes when a dish is missing something, and he eats dinner with us most of the time.

At some point you just have to let go and realize that your job as a parent has peaked, and your child will make their own decisions- for the most part -from now on. Some of those decisions will be questionable, but we've all done stupid things in our lives. And those stupid things make us who we are right now... so it is what it is.

I feel really good that I've instilled in him the basic principles of compassion for other people, animals, and the planet, a sense of self-worth and, something my mother taught me, which was to find something funny about any given situation (even when things didn't seem very funny at all).

Black Rice & Walnut-Stuffed Squash!

Black Rice & Walnut-Stuffed Squash:

2 butternut squash
(or acorn squash)
1 red pepper
½ cup walnuts
3 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 red onion diced
2 cup brown or black rice


1. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds for later use (you can roast them up with olive oil and sea salt).
2. Preheat the oven to 350. Place the squash face down on a pan with a little water in it, for about 25 minutes, or until you can easily poke a knife through.
3. Prepare the rice in 2.5 cups of water (or as directed on bag of rice) with the red onions, garlic and sea salt.
4. When the rice is ready, mix all of the other ingredients together and fill the squash halves on a plate, letting it overflow. Sprinkle them with cinnamon and serve with something light like a salad. The walnuts and cranberries go very well with the warm, rich flavour of the squash and sweet black rice.
Soooo good! Serves 4.