Cultivating curiosity and wellbeing in Mexico
Our wellbeing: our relationships with our food, our bodies, and our earth. Alternative health, vegan lifestyle, permaculture, and sustainability
Now that the hot, hot weather has set in here in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, the intense sun quickly dries out the soil in the garden even while the humidity in the air increases as we move toward the rainy season. Many of the garden greens and other veggies are past their Continue Reading →
This morning, I stood in my little tropical kitchen looking out into the garden as I skinned raw peanuts, readying them for roasting and grinding into peanut butter. It crossed my mind that some people would think that what I was doing was a waste of time, that they had Continue Reading →
I admit it: When I finally gave up animal products four years ago, I considered tofu tasteless and uninteresting. Of course I could tolerate it, but I couldn’t understand how anyone could actually like it. However, persistence (or should that read obsession?), need, and an adventuresome spirit got me past Continue Reading →
About turmeric, and a quick turmeric golden milk recipe The healing and anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric have been making a big, orange splash on the Internet and in the press recently. Turmeric is that bright-orange spice that forms one of the basic ingredients of curry and gives it a deep Continue Reading →
I was shocked to discover last week that one pot of my precious arugula, which has been growing so well this season and has been a joy to devour in salads and other dishes, had become infested with the persistent parasite, Cuscuta, more commonly known as dodder. Dodder is a Continue Reading →
The typical dishes of the state of Guerrero, Mexico, center unsurprisingly around the regional agricultural staples: corn, beans, tomatoes, squash, and chiles. Indigenous animals that were used for food before the arrival of the Europeans, some of which are still common in the local cuisine today, include wild turkeys, armadillos, Continue Reading →
Amaranth is awesome! Tropical gardeners, if you want greens (and nutritionally rich seeds) and don’t want to pull your hair out trying to cultivate spinach and lettuce and other more delicate greens in the heat, then try amaranth in any of its seed or vegetable varieties. Amaranth loves the heat Continue Reading →
Gardening has been somewhat difficult this year in Zihuatanejo. The heavy and late rains of November and December, when we usually have little or no rain at all, flooded out my seedlings, and I had to replant more than once. It was a little discouraging to watch the tender plants Continue Reading →
If you haven’t already participated in the activities of Zihuatanejo’s Eco-Vegan Cooperative (Cooperativa Eco-Vegana), now might be the time to jump in and find out what a vegan lifestyle and plant-based eating are all about. The Cooperativa Eco-Vegana had its beginnings about a year ago in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, when a Continue Reading →
Surrounded by the traditional fare of turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes laced with butter and milk, and desserts that are likely to go heavy on the eggs, cream, and refined sugars, holiday cooking and baking might seem like an insurmountable challenge for plant-based eaters. However, there are quantities of great Continue Reading →
Commercial, canned coconut milks can contain preservatives and flavor enhancers that many of us want to avoid. But making fresh coconut milk is easy, particularly for those of us living in Mexico or in tropical areas where the coconuts practically fall from the trees at our feet. How lucky can Continue Reading →
Recently, I saw several references on-line to a “heart vein opening drink” that is purported to open up blockages in the heart. The blog entries and recipes I saw were based on a testimonial submitted by someone who supposedly had used this method to improve heart health. Please see the Continue Reading →
Garlic is a staple in our household. I can’t get enough garlic: squashed, sliced, chopped, baked, dried, powdered, or roasted whole, garlic fits into almost any recipe. The healthful properties of garlic are purported to be many; garlic is considered a digestive aid, anti-parasitic, anti-viral, immune system booster, blood pressure Continue Reading →
This Recipe has been curated from MindBodyGreen Parsnips are one of those vegetables I used to pass by in the grocery store in favor of more familiar choices. If you’re like me and haven’t tried cooking with parsnips, it’s time to give them a… Continue Reading →
For the third year, I am continuing my tropical garden experiment, trying to determine what are the best vegetables for our area (Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico, on the Pacific coast). Here we’re most definitely in what is called climate Zone 11, the hottest zone in the North American classification, which means Continue Reading →
Cats, boas, a vegan fair, and dinner… What an unusual day! First, an early morning phonecall informed me that my cat, who resided at our office instead of our house, had almost–almost–been devoured by a boa constrictor. She was saved in the nick of time by a vigilant and fast-moving Continue Reading →