Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Caps and Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

First of all, yum.  I've never done much with portobello caps, but this was easy, vegetarian and turned out delicious.  I used basic ingredients that I had in my house.  The great thing about stuffing mushrooms, peppers, etc. is that you can put whatever you want in them.

I don't usually write about my food explorations, but, I've become sick of not remembering what I did when I try to "recreate" my random food creations.

Here is what I did....

First I made quinoa and used about two cups cooked.  While that was cooking I diced up a roma tomato, 1/2 cup of red onions, 1/2 cup green peppers, a hand full of fresh spinach, and about a 1/2 cup of broccoli florets.  Then, I sautéed those with three large cloves of garlic and some olive oil.  As they browned I added about a 1/4 cup of Summit Extra Pale Ale and a 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar and let it cook down until the veggies were tender.

While the veggies simmered, I baked the two portobello caps (cap side up) at 400 for about 10 minutes to soften them up and flipped them over to be ready to fill.

Once everything was ready I mixed in about a cup and a half of the cooked quinoa. Then spoon filled the caps until they had a big mound of the mixture. For seasonings I just used salt & pepper, a few red pepper flakes, a bit of garlic powder, Italian seasoning and basil. After that I topped them with mozzarella cheese and put them back in the oven for about 5-6 minutes, until the cheese melted and browned a little.

Here are the results:

Recipe: (this is rough estimates)

1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
2 portobello caps

Diced veggies:
1/2 cup red onion
1/2 cup green pepper
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup tomatos
a handful of fresh spinach (kale would be great in it too)
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup Summit Extra Pale Ale
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Italian seasoning, basil, salt & pepper, red pepper flakes
Mozzarella cheese for topping (I'd love to try a stronger cheese like blue or gorgonzola next time)



Now dessert:

While in Seattle I went to a balsamic vinegar tasting.  I ended up picking up some strawberry balsamic vinegar.  My original intention was to mix it with a garlic infused olive oil for a dressing on a spinach, strawberry, walnut salad.  Which I'm still planning on doing.  But, the balsamic is so sweet that I thought it would be good with some fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream.

Turns out, I was very right.  The balsamic added a tang to the sweetness and gave the sundae much more depth in flavor.  I mean its ice cream so you can't really go wrong but I would say its a healthier alternative to the chocolate syrup.  There was also an espresso balsamic that I'll probably try to pick up next time I'm in Seattle in October.  That and some chocolate covered espresso beans over vanilla ice cream sounds awesome.

Anyway, here it is:

Woah Its been tooo loooong.....

Hi Blog, let me reintroduce myself.  I know its been a while but I'm ready to catch up.  Its now been almost a month since I've been back from my exciting adventures in Vancouver.  Its been bittersweet in the sense that I'm happy to be home to see my family and friends and boyfriend, but I miss the work I was doing, the new friends I made and the beautiful, beautiful mountains of BC.  It was an ok transition back.  I'm working really hard at transitioning to a new role at the Y.  I've had fun and loved the opportunity to work in the position I'm in at the location I'm at, I'm just ready for a new challenge.  I'm sure I'll keep you posted blog, as I am now settling down a bit from the "lets get lunch and chat", "how about happy hour" which I love cause my friends missed me as much as I missed them. 

I like this blog because I get to talk about the stuff I really like: Music, Social Issues and not to sound too arrogant, ME.  I recently got an iPhone...I know what you're thinking. "What about your trusted, scratched flip phone you've had for the last three years" ...well, it has been recycled and I've taken a very, very serious step in my relationship and got on his plan.  I know, its a big, big step after dating for a year. But, I like money and it saves me a lot of it.  Anyway, I'll be able to blog even more about stuff I like, so get ready....

First, the music part.  I have newly discovered (because I have an iPhone now) the wonderful world of Spotify.  So glad i did too because have a lot of catch up to do with bands and their new albums I didnt get to listen to while I was in Canada. 

One group I'm really digging is Wild Belle.  It is a group of two people from Chicago, Natalie and Eliot Bergman.  I think they are brother and sister.  But anyway, they have this great reggae-esque chill vibe with a sultry sax and Natalies voice that is smooth as can be, kinda "erykah badu-ish. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EtYBbPH-kw

(for some reason I can't post the video so heres the link)

Its excellent!

On another note, in my travels I met a lovely girl, Julia Satlari from Argentina who gave me an essay to read by Eduardo Galeano called "The Right to Delirium".  It is a really interesting essay about history and how we have the right to imagine what we would like in the future, a world.....

Where the air will be clean of every poison that doesn’t come from human fears and human passions
Where the TV will no longer be the most important member of the family, but will be treated like the clothes iron or the washing machine; 
Where people will work to live and will not live to work; 
Where nobody will die of hunger, because nobody will die of indigestion
Where street children will not be treated like garbage, because there will be no street children
Where rich children will not be treated like money, because there will be no rich children
Where perfection will continue to be the absurd privilege of the gods, but in this untidy and messed-up world, every night is lived as if it is the last and every day as if it is the first

a few excerpts from the essay that i liked and a little food for thought.  To read the entire essay go to

http://www.normangirvan.info/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/the-right-to-delirium_doc.htm

The Ripple Effect

It's funny when things happen at opportune moments. Maybe it's like horoscopes; you see the stuff you want, when you want to. Maybe it's a matter of the cosmos putting people together at exact moments. Either way, when Julia and I chatted with a stranger while we contemplated going to a drag show, (what? its friday night and we were looking for some laughs) what he said was profound for not knowing us or what we were doing in Vancouver. 

Randomly, he started talking to us about the ripple effect of one person touching the life of another. He said, "everyday you could effect hundreds or thousands of lives." Helping someone, a smile to a stranger on the bus, reaching out to a youth, these seemingly minor things can effect them, which can effect the people they are surrounded by, which can continue to effect more and more people exponentially and over time. Can you imagine that impact? 

It was an interesting conversation, not necessarily because of the content but because of the way I was feeling at that moment. Finishing my learning week and learning so much about different non profits and programs in Vancouver really energized me to get back to work and didnt exactly excite me to go back to camp. Working at camp, working with youth, at the Y etc can be very exhausting. Sometimes you can begin to feel run down, out of control or crazy. But, this strangers brief conversation flipped that mentality and helped me to realize that the young people I get to hang out with next week could have their lives changed in a moment, and I could be the person to do it. Heck, I could have just saved the world (which is my ultimate goal) by having an impact on a youth who just may someday come up with a totally sustainable form of earth friendly energy which in turn could solve the energy crisis. Hey, it is totally possible. 

So, may the ripples continue outward from the center, which at any given moment at any given place could be you. Thanks stranger on the street, I'm glad I got to be a ripple in your wave pool.

           

On another note, I would like to go back to adding a musical element to my postings. Why have two blogs when I can just kill two birds with one stone. So, with this topic I'd like to include a link to a local Vancouver band that I'm currently rockin out to. They at The Zolas, sweet indie rock that's got a fun vibe that will definitly make your head bob, automatically. Even while trying to save the world I can still find time to soak up the BC music scene.

 

Gambier Island

Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life. -Samuel Ullman

Well time is flying although I'm only almost halfway done, and already I have hundreds of ideas, so much information bouncing around in my brain and ideas like lightning bolts in a serious electric storm. I'm currently on my learning week and have sooooo much to say about it thus far, but I'll try to leave off where I started last post. 

So last I left I was starting my two weeks with the LD1 leadership campers. They were the greatest kids and because they were older I was totally able to connect with them and have real social issue discussions.  As part of this program we go on a bit longer out trip than the regular campers.  So we got to be the first group to ever take sea kayaks all the way around Gambier island which is an island off the sunshine coast near camp elphinstone. It was beautiful and exhausting but I think everyone really felt accomplished at the end and enjoyed it. Heres a couple photos.....

I'll be able to post more often because I have this amazing new app that helps me organize my blog thoughts. So the next series will be information about my learning week and the incredible social programs that are going on in Vancouver. 

One day til showtime....

Wow. it is hard to believe that it has already been three weeks here on the Sunshine coast.  Soooo much has happend and every day is full of training.  We spent our first week in Vancouver and got to enjoy a lot that it has to offer.  I went to the Vancouver Aquarium which is a beautiful huge place.  And also went for bike rides around stanley park among many other activities.  These things were all strategically placed inbetween hours and hours of trainings.  We had intercultural communication training (we still are all struggling with it :) The array of accents and literal vocabulary make for some interesting miscommunications at times.  But, usually its all very funny.  We also had some conflict resolution training and then headed off to camp Elphinstone.

We have now been at YMCA Camp Elphinstone for two weeks.  Two solid weeks of training.  We have met the staff which are all great but are also children.  The camp operates with volunteers and staff. The volunteers are all 17 years old and most of them have worked through the camp program and are now "training" to be paid staff next year.  I'm by far the old lady on the block.  at least 2 years older than the next oldest. ha.  A girl actually said to me yesterday, "you are 11 years older than me, holy crap" nothing like making an old girl feel older.  Plus, i was talking about Bobby's World and some childhood cartoons and non of these youngsters had a clue what i was talking about.  Times are achangin' 

But, I've learned a lot, and the leadership and maturity (for the most part) is very impressive.  The camp does an amazing job turning youth into leaders.  Which brings me to my first assignment.  I will be a group leader for the two week camp of LD1 which is the Leadership Development first group.  This is the older kids who dont reallly got to traditional camp anymore.  we work on things like hard skills, outdoor living, How to teach archery, canoeing, kayaking etc and not just how to do it.  I'm pretty honored to be a leader for the leadership program right off the bat.  It will be a blast and include a 3 day out trip where we will camp and canoe somewhere around Gambier Island. 

After that two weeks I'll be on my "learning week" so i'll head back to Vancouver for a week and begin my meetings and volunteering with local non profits.  I'm really looking forward to this week and hope to learn a ton about YMCA programs in Vancouver. 

The YPN'ers are all good.  They seem to be struggling a bit with some of the language barriers.  But, they like to have me around to explain stuff in a little clearer and slower pace.  Its amazing to realize how fast and poorly people talk until your with 13 non english speakers and they all look at me after someone says something.  But, they all hold their own.  We're pretty excited to do our global education to the youth.  We have some great ideas and have learned some very interesting ways of teaching. 

We did lose a YPN participant who had to leave because his father was ill. its really sad because he was from Kosovo and I was sooo looking forward to learning about the history of Kosovo.  He lived through the war and had some pretty interesting stories about life before, during and after.  Lets just say he is a big fan of Bill Clinton. He will be very greatly missed.

Everythign else is pretty good.  I'm excited to get into camp. We will have Camp Moomba which is a special camp for HIV/Aids youth adn people affected by it.  I'm really interested in being a part of this camp.  I'll have more info about it later.  Also, I may have the chance to go to another camp waaaay up north about 8 hours from vancouver.  well see on that too.

I'll post more soon.  Its very hard to get to a computer since we have 1 for about 100 staff and the WiFi goes in and out.  But, I'll try to post more often.

Miss everyone and see you soon!

Introducing YPN 2012!!

Well, I have arrived in Vancouver.  And so has everyone else with their versions of flight stories.  Delays, cancellations, person next to them fainting on the plane.  You know, the usual. We have all made it.  Representing YPN 2012 this year is:

Zenia- Lebanon
Julia- Argentina
Gigi- Senegal
Edita- Czech Republic
Kristina- Ukraine
Yoanna- Colombia
Cecilia- Ecuador
Edgar- Mexico
Chen- China
Jenny- Phillipines
Mo cha- Hong Kong
Artan- Kosovo
Andrea- United States
Robyn- Canada

I was so excited to learn where people were coming from.  I of course, am the oldest...probably be the mother hen around the city.  and Mo cha our spit fire Hong Kong girl is the youngest at 20.  We're just getting to know each other which isnt too hard when four of us are cramped in a tiny hostel room. But, i dont think it will take too long.  We have a looooooooooooot of training over the next three weeks. 

I'll have more to post with pictures and introductions to the program and participants as soon as I can get a bit more time on a computer. 

Chao for now!

Youth they are important EVERYWHERE.

Lakota Instructions for Living

Friend do it this way - that is,
whatever you do in life,
do the very best you can
with both your heart and mind.

And if you do it that way,
the Power Of The Universe
will come to your assistance,
if your heart and mind are in Unity.

When one sits in the Hoop Of The People,
one must be responsible because
All of Creation is related.
And the hurt of one is the hurt of all.
And the honor of one is the honor of all.
And whatever we do effects everything in the universe.

If you do it that way - that is,
if you truly join your heart and mind
as One - whatever you ask for,
that's the Way It's Going To Be.

passed down from White Buffalo Calf Woman

A year ago I got the opportunity to go to the Sioux YMCA for two weeks on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota.  For 6 years, the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities have been sending staff to run summer youth programs in partnership with the Sioux YMCA in Dupree, SD in the smaller communities on the reservation.  We went in groups of 3 and each day would go to two different communities in a van loaded with basketballs, baseball equipment, arts and crafts, and whatever else we could fit besides ourselves.  It is an excellent staff development and cultural peice as well as one more layer to the vastness of how the Y is dedicated to communities. 

The Cheyenne River Reservation is a beautiful, magical place besides the extreme poverty of the communities and social problems they face.  The "amber waves of grain" really come to life here.  And the spirit of the youth is unlike anything.  In this world of young people "needing" the latest fashion, video games, movies etc. the youth on the reservation have giant smiles and they may not have shoes.  They are a joy to see everyday. 

So this year, when I got a  phone call from my teammate from last year who is there again this year, that one of our kids (they are "our" kids by the time you leave, because you kind of want to steal them) had committed suicide last fall it really hit me.  Royce, a 14 year old leader, and one of the older kids in the community had started to dabble in alcohol and drugs.  A reality that is too common for the young people on the reservation.  He must have found his life too hard, and chose to end it.  I can't put into words the saddness that overcomes me when I think of this kid, a great athlete, with big smiles playing softball with us found this world too hard. 

No young person should find this world to hard. 

On another note, I got to hear from some of the kids i met last year with from my former team mate.  They say "hi" they miss me and actually remember me. Wow, if that doesn't make you warm and fuzzy. 

The work is important in this forgotten land.  These are young people with just as much potential and are the exact same as the kids as in the inner city or down the street.  They just need nurturing and the avenue and support to be successful.  The Cheyenne River Reservation is not done yet.  Let the healing begin.

Here are a few pictures of the reservation and kids:

To learn more about the YMCA Sioux Y Initiative check out their blog at http://siouxymcainitiative.blogspot.com/ or to make a donation to the Sioux YMCA  http://www.siouxymca.org/