Re: Klara: being with non mb

[Guest guest]

I think it's always great to hear another persons perpective. That

is the point of a group, to vent, listen and whatever.

Thanks for sharing .

Reg

> > > >

> > > > My daughter has that book - what's your favorite recipe??

> > > > My problem with cookbooks that aren't mb, or some that say

> > they

> > > are mb, are so so so many wide recipes, and once I go wide, I

go

> > very

> > > wide - so I have to be more careful. I still see-saw too much,

> and

> > > need to go back more to the middle.

> > > > Klara

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ---------------------------------

> > Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I think it's always great to hear another persons perpective. That

is the point of a group, to vent, listen and whatever.

Thanks for sharing .

Reg

> > > >

> > > > My daughter has that book - what's your favorite recipe??

> > > > My problem with cookbooks that aren't mb, or some that say

> > they

> > > are mb, are so so so many wide recipes, and once I go wide, I

go

> > very

> > > wide - so I have to be more careful. I still see-saw too much,

> and

> > > need to go back more to the middle.

> > > > Klara

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ---------------------------------

> > Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Yup, and that was my perspective. Thanks for listening.purpleveg wrote: I think it's always great to hear another persons perpective. That is the point of a group, to vent, listen and whatever.Thanks for sharing .Reg> > > >> > > > My daughter has that book - what's your favorite recipe?? > > > > My problem with cookbooks that aren't mb, or some that say > > they > > > are mb, are so so so many wide recipes, and once I go wide, I go > > very > > > wide - so I have to be more careful. I still see-saw too much, > and > > > need to go back more to the middle. > > > > Klara> > > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------> > Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.>

>>

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[Guest guest]

It FITS!!!!! And I can totally relate. I think when I wrote that post it was after experiencing the very spicy meal my husband had cooked - and now that you were daring enough to be so totally honest - I will admit, it was fish, with a very spicy sauce, tho the predominant ingredient was parsley so I had thought it was ok, I accepted his risotto, as I had recalled a friend telling me about when she was in the company of Michio at a Japanese restaurant, which was awful, but he sat there chewing well the white rice, so I figured, ok, if Michio can do it, so can I. I didn't realize what all he put in the rice, I did see mushrooms and peas, but what I didn't realize was there was cheese also. I also totally agree it's NOT about other people - I'm getting to understand now that I can work on my relationship in ways that are beyond food - I don't HAVE to eat the same food, tho perhaps later down the road that can happen. I guess I am

fortunate in that he does the cooking, which is a double edged blade, in that perhaps he doesn't feel I am nourishing him - also a goal for the future. My daughter who cooks is 21 and has very very definite ideas of what she wants to make - I realize it only makes her unhappy when I want to change the recipes to be less wide - so now I accept that one day a week I can go wider and work harder during the week to be more nourishing to myself, i.e., take the time to cook more full and varied meals rather than just the same things always. It is enjoyable when others appreciate your cooking - but please, , do NOT take it personally when they don't - it's not about you, it's about when they are ready for this food, and you just can't force that to happen. the substituting healthier versions for the traditional I did alot at the beginning of my mb practice and when I was trying to get others to eat this way. I've kind of let that go, as

not as important to me now. Which I can do - the difficult part is for those who have loved ones who are ill and refuse to try mb, that's a biggy. I sure wish I lived closer to you, I'd LOVE to share what you cook!!!! Klaraleslieanneashburn wrote: I think it takes time to figure out what is palatable to certain people based on their own pecadillos, cultural background, favorite tastes, etc., and it helps to listen to what people like to eat and

then try to recreate a healthier version. For example, if someone likes mashed potatoes and gravy, there are options for recreating this.Right now I'm cooking for a fantastic lesbian couple who got interested in MB's. They started inviting one of the women's parents over for dinner b/c the mom has debilitating rheumatoid (sp?) arthritis (getting much better now). They occasionally ask other friends to come, and last time, they invited her sister, husband, and child. The child was grossed out and wanted chili, but the more conservative sister and husband were astonished. They said, "This is REAL PEOPLE food" and took extras for the next day. Despite their intitial feelings of queasiness about trying "macrobiotic" or "healthfood" they were pleasantly surprised in the end. The food I cooked was more for the holidays so it might have had a tad more spice or familiarity than other things one could choose

from among macro fare. I also cook for my family when I am home with them, or if they are visiting me, and they enjoy most everything (but not all).My boyfriend is not macrobiotic and I can totally relate to your feelings, Klara! It can be disheartening. It brings up a lot of different emotions for me and so it's a great way for me to reflect about myself as a person/girlfriend and about us as a couple too. I try to listen to the things that he likes from my cooking and focus on those when we eat together. It might be a bit wider than I'm used to, but that's OK. This may or may not be true for you, but I think for us it goes deeper than just the food. It has to do with his/our ability to be intimate with each other and for him to open himself up to being nurtured. If he doesnt want to be, I have to ask myself "why?" (especially when other non-macro people enjoy the very same recipes) and then think

about my options available. he's a passionate surfer and loves fish (in macro theory this helps him to harmonize with the ocean and be a better surfer), and he's passionate about his Japanese American heritage too -- and so we sometimes have "cross talk" where we may not see eye to eye (or diet to diet). there are a lot of typical relationship issues there.... will spare you the personal details!!I was thrilled when out of the blue the other night he actually bought groceries and we went over to his mother's house and he spearheaded cooking for us. We have a fun "taco night" every once in a while, and they like to use ground turkey instead of beef (sorry to other vegans!). my option was to make a tempeh version if I wanted but decided on just having beans. He found an organic rice pilaf (to try and make me feel comforable) and we had a great bean/corn/chili/cilantro "salsa" on the side. While it wasn't what

I would make now (e.g., canned corn) I really focused on the effort and desire. In life I think I/we often focus on the negatives instead of the positives, so it was a lesson for me to "catch him being good".With friends and family, I never talk about MB unless they ask me something (through experience in being too dogmatic). At BBQs I fluctuate between not really worrying about what I might eat there to taking something with me to be sure I have something to eat. It depends on the situation. Sometimes I eat what others have out (white rice sushi, noodle dishes, etc) and sometimes I feel stuck with salad, tortilla chips, lots of raw veggies, and white rice.... When with my family, they have their favorites, and I cook additional supplemental things, and people eat whatever. When with my b.f., I'll agree to eat out (Greek, for example) even though bread and spices might not be my best choice at that exact

moment... I can always cook somethingfor myself later. I guess what I'm rambling about is there is not a straightforward answer. For me, it just depends on the moment and what my goal is in relation to the people Ilove. It's a choice between me and my own life and my own goals, and me harmonizing with others. It's just the best I can do in the moment, sometimes a "good decision" and other times a "bad decision" and who knows what it will bring in the future????just wanted to share with you my own experience. not sure if it helps or not....> > >> > > My daughter has that book - what's your favorite recipe?? > > > My problem with cookbooks that aren't mb, or some that say > they > > are mb, are so so so many wide recipes, and once I go wide, I go > very > > wide - so I have to be

more careful. I still see-saw too much, and > > need to go back more to the middle. > > > Klara> > >> >> > > > > > > ---------------------------------> Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.>

Sponsored Link$420,000 Mortgage for $1,399/month - Think You Pay Too Much For Your Mortgage? Find Out!

[Guest guest]

Hello and Vickie,

Thank you for a wonderful piece of writing . It provoked me to write a few thoughts although at a bit of a tangent.

From my experience it help enormously to mix with different people eating different foods. There is something warm, cosy and reassuring about being with other people eating macrobiotically and it is wonderful to learn from each other. At the same time I greatly value spending time with people eating very different foods from me as they challenge my perceptions regarding health and food and helps me be more open and flexible. I used to feel an urge to try and ‘convert’ my friends and family to some kind of macrobiotic eating but I now feel happy with them just as they are and actual appreciate the differences.

Looking back there was a point where I felt truly content and happy with my own macrobiotic practice that I felt much more open to other people’s lifestyles. At the same time people trying to practice macrobiotics in complete isolation have run into problems and possibly suffered because there were not other macrobiotic friends around who they could get help from. That is one of the great things about this site in our modern age.

To me it really comes down to feeling happy with what you are doing and having fun. Let other people join in if they wish. We tend to attract people to join our movement when we come across as fun, smiling, healthy people. It is much harder to convince people through conversation particularly if we appear rigid, fanatical or uptight about food.

Best wishes,

Simon

I think it takes time to figure out what is palatable to certain

people based on their own pecadillos, cultural background, favorite

tastes, etc., and it helps to listen to what people like to eat and

then try to recreate a healthier version. For example, if someone

likes mashed potatoes and gravy, there are options for recreating

this.

Right now I'm cooking for a fantastic lesbian couple who got

interested in MB's. They started inviting one of the women's

parents over for dinner b/c the mom has debilitating rheumatoid

(sp?) arthritis (getting much better now).

They occasionally ask other friends to come, and last time, they

invited her sister, husband, and child. The child was grossed out

and wanted chili, but the more conservative sister and husband were

astonished. They said, " This is REAL PEOPLE food " and took extras

for the next day. Despite their intitial feelings of queasiness

about trying " macrobiotic " or " healthfood " they were pleasantly

surprised in the end. The food I cooked was more for the holidays

so it might have had a tad more spice or familiarity than other

things one could choose from among macro fare.

I also cook for my family when I am home with them, or if they are

visiting me, and they enjoy most everything (but not all).

My boyfriend is not macrobiotic and I can totally relate to your

feelings, Klara! It can be disheartening. It brings up a lot of

different emotions for me and so it's a great way for me to reflect

about myself as a person/girlfriend and about us as a couple too. I

try to listen to the things that he likes from my cooking and focus

on those when we eat together. It might be a bit wider than I'm

used to, but that's OK.

This may or may not be true for you, but I think for us it goes

deeper than just the food. It has to do with his/our ability to be

intimate with each other and for him to open himself up to being

nurtured. If he doesnt want to be, I have to ask myself " why? "

(especially when other non-macro people enjoy the very same recipes)

and then think about my options available. he's a passionate surfer

and loves fish (in macro theory this helps him to harmonize with the

ocean and be a better surfer), and he's passionate about his

Japanese American heritage too -- and so we sometimes have " cross

talk " where we may not see eye to eye (or diet to diet). there are

a lot of typical relationship issues there.... will spare you the

personal details!!

I was thrilled when out of the blue the other night he actually

bought groceries and we went over to his mother's house and he

spearheaded cooking for us. We have a fun " taco night " every once

in a while, and they like to use ground turkey instead of beef

(sorry to other vegans!). my option was to make a tempeh version if

I wanted but decided on just having beans. He found an organic rice

pilaf (to try and make me feel comforable) and we had a great

bean/corn/chili/cilantro " salsa " on the side. While it wasn't what

I would make now (e.g., canned corn) I really focused on the effort

and desire. In life I think I/we often focus on the negatives

instead of the positives, so it was a lesson for me to " catch him

being good " .

With friends and family, I never talk about MB unless they ask me

something (through experience in being too dogmatic). At BBQs I

fluctuate between not really worrying about what I might eat there

to taking something with me to be sure I have something to eat. It

depends on the situation. Sometimes I eat what others have out

(white rice sushi, noodle dishes, etc) and sometimes I feel stuck

with salad, tortilla chips, lots of raw veggies, and white rice....

When with my family, they have their favorites, and I cook

additional supplemental things, and people eat whatever. When with

my b.f., I'll agree to eat out (Greek, for example) even though

bread and spices might not be my best choice at that exact moment...

I can always cook somethingfor myself later.

I guess what I'm rambling about is there is not a straightforward

answer. For me, it just depends on the moment and what my goal is

in relation to the people Ilove. It's a choice between me and my own

life and my own goals, and me harmonizing with others. It's just

the best I can do in the moment, sometimes a " good decision " and

other times a " bad decision " and who knows what it will bring in the

future????

just wanted to share with you my own experience. not sure if it

helps or not....

> > >

> > > My daughter has that book - what's your favorite recipe??

> > > My problem with cookbooks that aren't mb, or some that say

> they

> > are mb, are so so so many wide recipes, and once I go wide, I go

> very

> > wide - so I have to be more careful. I still see-saw too much,

and

> > need to go back more to the middle.

> > > Klara

> > >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.

>

[Guest guest]

Hello and Vickie,

Thank you for a wonderful piece of writing . It provoked me to write a few thoughts although at a bit of a tangent.

From my experience it help enormously to mix with different people eating different foods. There is something warm, cosy and reassuring about being with other people eating macrobiotically and it is wonderful to learn from each other. At the same time I greatly value spending time with people eating very different foods from me as they challenge my perceptions regarding health and food and helps me be more open and flexible. I used to feel an urge to try and ‘convert’ my friends and family to some kind of macrobiotic eating but I now feel happy with them just as they are and actual appreciate the differences.

Looking back there was a point where I felt truly content and happy with my own macrobiotic practice that I felt much more open to other people’s lifestyles. At the same time people trying to practice macrobiotics in complete isolation have run into problems and possibly suffered because there were not other macrobiotic friends around who they could get help from. That is one of the great things about this site in our modern age.

To me it really comes down to feeling happy with what you are doing and having fun. Let other people join in if they wish. We tend to attract people to join our movement when we come across as fun, smiling, healthy people. It is much harder to convince people through conversation particularly if we appear rigid, fanatical or uptight about food.

Best wishes,

Simon

I think it takes time to figure out what is palatable to certain

people based on their own pecadillos, cultural background, favorite

tastes, etc., and it helps to listen to what people like to eat and

then try to recreate a healthier version. For example, if someone

likes mashed potatoes and gravy, there are options for recreating

this.

Right now I'm cooking for a fantastic lesbian couple who got

interested in MB's. They started inviting one of the women's

parents over for dinner b/c the mom has debilitating rheumatoid

(sp?) arthritis (getting much better now).

They occasionally ask other friends to come, and last time, they

invited her sister, husband, and child. The child was grossed out

and wanted chili, but the more conservative sister and husband were

astonished. They said, " This is REAL PEOPLE food " and took extras

for the next day. Despite their intitial feelings of queasiness

about trying " macrobiotic " or " healthfood " they were pleasantly

surprised in the end. The food I cooked was more for the holidays

so it might have had a tad more spice or familiarity than other

things one could choose from among macro fare.

I also cook for my family when I am home with them, or if they are

visiting me, and they enjoy most everything (but not all).

My boyfriend is not macrobiotic and I can totally relate to your

feelings, Klara! It can be disheartening. It brings up a lot of

different emotions for me and so it's a great way for me to reflect

about myself as a person/girlfriend and about us as a couple too. I

try to listen to the things that he likes from my cooking and focus

on those when we eat together. It might be a bit wider than I'm

used to, but that's OK.

This may or may not be true for you, but I think for us it goes

deeper than just the food. It has to do with his/our ability to be

intimate with each other and for him to open himself up to being

nurtured. If he doesnt want to be, I have to ask myself " why? "

(especially when other non-macro people enjoy the very same recipes)

and then think about my options available. he's a passionate surfer

and loves fish (in macro theory this helps him to harmonize with the

ocean and be a better surfer), and he's passionate about his

Japanese American heritage too -- and so we sometimes have " cross

talk " where we may not see eye to eye (or diet to diet). there are

a lot of typical relationship issues there.... will spare you the

personal details!!

I was thrilled when out of the blue the other night he actually

bought groceries and we went over to his mother's house and he

spearheaded cooking for us. We have a fun " taco night " every once

in a while, and they like to use ground turkey instead of beef

(sorry to other vegans!). my option was to make a tempeh version if

I wanted but decided on just having beans. He found an organic rice

pilaf (to try and make me feel comforable) and we had a great

bean/corn/chili/cilantro " salsa " on the side. While it wasn't what

I would make now (e.g., canned corn) I really focused on the effort

and desire. In life I think I/we often focus on the negatives

instead of the positives, so it was a lesson for me to " catch him

being good " .

With friends and family, I never talk about MB unless they ask me

something (through experience in being too dogmatic). At BBQs I

fluctuate between not really worrying about what I might eat there

to taking something with me to be sure I have something to eat. It

depends on the situation. Sometimes I eat what others have out

(white rice sushi, noodle dishes, etc) and sometimes I feel stuck

with salad, tortilla chips, lots of raw veggies, and white rice....

When with my family, they have their favorites, and I cook

additional supplemental things, and people eat whatever. When with

my b.f., I'll agree to eat out (Greek, for example) even though

bread and spices might not be my best choice at that exact moment...

I can always cook somethingfor myself later.

I guess what I'm rambling about is there is not a straightforward

answer. For me, it just depends on the moment and what my goal is

in relation to the people Ilove. It's a choice between me and my own

life and my own goals, and me harmonizing with others. It's just

the best I can do in the moment, sometimes a " good decision " and

other times a " bad decision " and who knows what it will bring in the

future????

just wanted to share with you my own experience. not sure if it

helps or not....

> > >

> > > My daughter has that book - what's your favorite recipe??

> > > My problem with cookbooks that aren't mb, or some that say

> they

> > are mb, are so so so many wide recipes, and once I go wide, I go

> very

> > wide - so I have to be more careful. I still see-saw too much,

and

> > need to go back more to the middle.

> > > Klara

> > >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi There

There are so many interesting posts it is hard to keep up!! thanks so

much for awarding the ipods - I think you need one for being so upbeat and

positive always.

As for non-macros and macros. I work in a spa with a lot of girls and none of

them eat macrobiotics. I have a gay friend there and he has changed his diet

with his boyfriend. They have started coming to my cooking classes which is

fantastic. I work with many massage clients who do not eat macrobiotics. A few

of them are interested in eating well and have made simple changes to their diet

after we chat.

I was also a bit of a fanatic in the past but find I respect everyone's choices

and wishes these days. I really enjoy my friends and have met many many

wonderful people with huge hearts and generous spirits and who do eat the same

way as me. They also respect the way I live and show interest in the things I

do.

However in saying that, when I spend time with friends who are on the same path

whether it is macro, vegan, energy workers or other alternative practices, I

feel a stronger connection which is sort of unspoken and deep. I love attending

the summer conference for that reason and have found that there are more and

more people in my area who are alternative minded and very interesting.

I think it is a question of being open, embracing and really practicing what you

preach and not being afraid to make mistakes.It is also amazing how you can

attract situations and people into your life when you need them. I gave a

coaching/cooking class to a client yesterday who lives nearby. I have just got

this awesome Samoyed puppy called Paddington that my daughter got for the

family. I decided I was going to take him to training classes so for once we

could have a dog that didn't run in the opposite direction when we called him.

Anyway it turns out that my client trains dogs and so we are going to barter

cooking for training. I have another wonderful friend who does this incredible

energy work and she also does animal communication work so I am going to connect

those two together. Funny how networking comes about with little effort.

My children are probably my greatest teachers because they lighten up any

situation and we really enjoy cooking and eating together. Their approach to

diet is much freer and we have a family discussion about meals for birthdays and

holidays - very democratic!!

As for thanksgiving. We try to make dishes that we all really love. There may be

a few things that are similar to the traditional dinner but we like to create a

unique meal that we think is great. My kids have a thing for mashed potatoes and

they seem to be the first thing on the list as a special. Funny, coz I had

enough of them growing up and have no real attraction to eating them now!! Then

the other dishes seem to flow. We often make a pasta dish or some traditional

Portuguese dish in memory of our time there. Home made mochi rolled in a

walnut/miso/orange sauce is a fav. and I love a dish called burdock eel. My ex

husband Denny and his new wife also come and join in with the cooking. Denny is

an excellent cook and his dishes are usually full of energy.

I think our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are more a time to get together,

laugh and enjoy sharing the cooking experience. The menu does have its own

special balance but I believe that festivals and holidays are really a time to

enjoy foods that we don't have at other times of the year. I remember enjoying

the festivals in Portugal so much. They seemed to find any excuse for a party

and the Chestnut festival, Mussel Festival and Festival of Lights come to mind.

Sadly it seems that people eat party food everyday now, children live on ice

cream, cup cakes, chips, sodas and pizza. When I was a child we never had pizza

and ice cream, chips and soda were reserved for parties - all of which I

relished with delight. Part of the fun of a party was the food. I notice that

kids are not at all interested in party food anymore except my lot who think it

is all fantastic!!!

Anyway I will post a few recipes for Thanksgiving asap. I am off to Las Vegas to

spend a few days with my boyfriend. As I have never been in a casino it should

be interesting.

Here is the link to the body rub. This is taken from my book Bless the Baby and

although I am talking about pregnancy, it can be done by anyone of any age.

http://celebrate4health.com/BodyBeautiful.html

I have answered all the posts in one email - hope that is okay!!!!??????

Have a beautiful Wednesday

Blessings

Re: Klara: being with non mb

>

>It FITS!!!!! And I can totally relate. I think when I wrote that post it was

after experiencing the very spicy meal my husband had cooked - and now that you

were daring enough to be so totally honest - I will admit, it was fish, with a

very spicy sauce, tho the predominant ingredient was parsley so I had thought it

was ok, I accepted his risotto, as I had recalled a friend telling me about when

she was in the company of Michio at a Japanese restaurant, which was awful, but

he sat there chewing well the white rice, so I figured, ok, if Michio can do it,

so can I. I didn't realize what all he put in the rice, I did see mushrooms and

peas, but what I didn't realize was there was cheese also.

> I also totally agree it's NOT about other people - I'm getting to understand

now that I can work on my relationship in ways that are beyond food - I don't

HAVE to eat the same food, tho perhaps later down the road that can happen. I

guess I am fortunate in that he does the cooking, which is a double edged blade,

in that perhaps he doesn't feel I am nourishing him - also a goal for the

future.

> My daughter who cooks is 21 and has very very definite ideas of what she

wants to make - I realize it only makes her unhappy when I want to change the

recipes to be less wide - so now I accept that one day a week I can go wider and

work harder during the week to be more nourishing to myself, i.e., take the time

to cook more full and varied meals rather than just the same things always.

> It is enjoyable when others appreciate your cooking - but please, , do

NOT take it personally when they don't - it's not about you, it's about when

they are ready for this food, and you just can't force that to happen.

> the substituting healthier versions for the traditional I did alot at the

beginning of my mb practice and when I was trying to get others to eat this way.

I've kind of let that go, as not as important to me now.

> Which I can do - the difficult part is for those who have loved ones who are

ill and refuse to try mb, that's a biggy.

> I sure wish I lived closer to you, I'd LOVE to share what you cook!!!!

> Klara

>

>leslieanneashburn wrote:

> I think it takes time to figure out what is palatable to certain

>people based on their own pecadillos, cultural background, favorite

>tastes, etc., and it helps to listen to what people like to eat and

>then try to recreate a healthier version. For example, if someone

>likes mashed potatoes and gravy, there are options for recreating

>this.

>

>Right now I'm cooking for a fantastic lesbian couple who got

>interested in MB's. They started inviting one of the women's

>parents over for dinner b/c the mom has debilitating rheumatoid

>(sp?) arthritis (getting much better now).

>

>They occasionally ask other friends to come, and last time, they

>invited her sister, husband, and child. The child was grossed out

>and wanted chili, but the more conservative sister and husband were

>astonished. They said, " This is REAL PEOPLE food " and took extras

>for the next day. Despite their intitial feelings of queasiness

>about trying " macrobiotic " or " healthfood " they were pleasantly

>surprised in the end. The food I cooked was more for the holidays

>so it might have had a tad more spice or familiarity than other

>things one could choose from among macro fare.

>

>I also cook for my family when I am home with them, or if they are

>visiting me, and they enjoy most everything (but not all).

>

>My boyfriend is not macrobiotic and I can totally relate to your

>feelings, Klara! It can be disheartening. It brings up a lot of

>different emotions for me and so it's a great way for me to reflect

>about myself as a person/girlfriend and about us as a couple too. I

>try to listen to the things that he likes from my cooking and focus

>on those when we eat together. It might be a bit wider than I'm

>used to, but that's OK.

>

>This may or may not be true for you, but I think for us it goes

>deeper than just the food. It has to do with his/our ability to be

>intimate with each other and for him to open himself up to being

>nurtured. If he doesnt want to be, I have to ask myself " why? "

>(especially when other non-macro people enjoy the very same recipes)

>and then think about my options available. he's a passionate surfer

>and loves fish (in macro theory this helps him to harmonize with the

>ocean and be a better surfer), and he's passionate about his

>Japanese American heritage too -- and so we sometimes have " cross

>talk " where we may not see eye to eye (or diet to diet). there are

>a lot of typical relationship issues there.... will spare you the

>personal details!!

>

>I was thrilled when out of the blue the other night he actually

>bought groceries and we went over to his mother's house and he

>spearheaded cooking for us. We have a fun " taco night " every once

>in a while, and they like to use ground turkey instead of beef

>(sorry to other vegans!). my option was to make a tempeh version if

>I wanted but decided on just having beans. He found an organic rice

>pilaf (to try and make me feel comforable) and we had a great

>bean/corn/chili/cilantro " salsa " on the side. While it wasn't what

>I would make now (e.g., canned corn) I really focused on the effort

>and desire. In life I think I/we often focus on the negatives

>instead of the positives, so it was a lesson for me to " catch him

>being good " .

>

>With friends and family, I never talk about MB unless they ask me

>something (through experience in being too dogmatic). At BBQs I

>fluctuate between not really worrying about what I might eat there

>to taking something with me to be sure I have something to eat. It

>depends on the situation. Sometimes I eat what others have out

>(white rice sushi, noodle dishes, etc) and sometimes I feel stuck

>with salad, tortilla chips, lots of raw veggies, and white rice....

>When with my family, they have their favorites, and I cook

>additional supplemental things, and people eat whatever. When with

>my b.f., I'll agree to eat out (Greek, for example) even though

>bread and spices might not be my best choice at that exact moment...

>I can always cook somethingfor myself later.

>

>I guess what I'm rambling about is there is not a straightforward

>answer. For me, it just depends on the moment and what my goal is

>in relation to the people Ilove. It's a choice between me and my own

>life and my own goals, and me harmonizing with others. It's just

>the best I can do in the moment, sometimes a " good decision " and

>other times a " bad decision " and who knows what it will bring in the

>future????

>

>just wanted to share with you my own experience. not sure if it

>helps or not....

>

>

>> > >

>> > > My daughter has that book - what's your favorite recipe??

>> > > My problem with cookbooks that aren't mb, or some that say

>> they

>> > are mb, are so so so many wide recipes, and once I go wide, I go

>> very

>> > wide - so I have to be more careful. I still see-saw too much,

>and

>> > need to go back more to the middle.

>> > > Klara

>> > >

>> >

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> ---------------------------------

>> Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.

>>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>---------------------------------

>Sponsored Link

>

>$420,000 Mortgage for $1,399/month - Think You Pay Too Much For Your

Mortgage? Find Out!

Brown Waxman

www.celebrate4health.com

www.bebabywise.com

info@...

[Guest guest]

Hi There

There are so many interesting posts it is hard to keep up!! thanks so

much for awarding the ipods - I think you need one for being so upbeat and

positive always.

As for non-macros and macros. I work in a spa with a lot of girls and none of

them eat macrobiotics. I have a gay friend there and he has changed his diet

with his boyfriend. They have started coming to my cooking classes which is

fantastic. I work with many massage clients who do not eat macrobiotics. A few

of them are interested in eating well and have made simple changes to their diet

after we chat.

I was also a bit of a fanatic in the past but find I respect everyone's choices

and wishes these days. I really enjoy my friends and have met many many

wonderful people with huge hearts and generous spirits and who do eat the same

way as me. They also respect the way I live and show interest in the things I

do.

However in saying that, when I spend time with friends who are on the same path

whether it is macro, vegan, energy workers or other alternative practices, I

feel a stronger connection which is sort of unspoken and deep. I love attending

the summer conference for that reason and have found that there are more and

more people in my area who are alternative minded and very interesting.

I think it is a question of being open, embracing and really practicing what you

preach and not being afraid to make mistakes.It is also amazing how you can

attract situations and people into your life when you need them. I gave a

coaching/cooking class to a client yesterday who lives nearby. I have just got

this awesome Samoyed puppy called Paddington that my daughter got for the

family. I decided I was going to take him to training classes so for once we

could have a dog that didn't run in the opposite direction when we called him.

Anyway it turns out that my client trains dogs and so we are going to barter

cooking for training. I have another wonderful friend who does this incredible

energy work and she also does animal communication work so I am going to connect

those two together. Funny how networking comes about with little effort.

My children are probably my greatest teachers because they lighten up any

situation and we really enjoy cooking and eating together. Their approach to

diet is much freer and we have a family discussion about meals for birthdays and

holidays - very democratic!!

As for thanksgiving. We try to make dishes that we all really love. There may be

a few things that are similar to the traditional dinner but we like to create a

unique meal that we think is great. My kids have a thing for mashed potatoes and

they seem to be the first thing on the list as a special. Funny, coz I had

enough of them growing up and have no real attraction to eating them now!! Then

the other dishes seem to flow. We often make a pasta dish or some traditional

Portuguese dish in memory of our time there. Home made mochi rolled in a

walnut/miso/orange sauce is a fav. and I love a dish called burdock eel. My ex

husband Denny and his new wife also come and join in with the cooking. Denny is

an excellent cook and his dishes are usually full of energy.

I think our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are more a time to get together,

laugh and enjoy sharing the cooking experience. The menu does have its own

special balance but I believe that festivals and holidays are really a time to

enjoy foods that we don't have at other times of the year. I remember enjoying

the festivals in Portugal so much. They seemed to find any excuse for a party

and the Chestnut festival, Mussel Festival and Festival of Lights come to mind.

Sadly it seems that people eat party food everyday now, children live on ice

cream, cup cakes, chips, sodas and pizza. When I was a child we never had pizza

and ice cream, chips and soda were reserved for parties - all of which I

relished with delight. Part of the fun of a party was the food. I notice that

kids are not at all interested in party food anymore except my lot who think it

is all fantastic!!!

Anyway I will post a few recipes for Thanksgiving asap. I am off to Las Vegas to

spend a few days with my boyfriend. As I have never been in a casino it should

be interesting.

Here is the link to the body rub. This is taken from my book Bless the Baby and

although I am talking about pregnancy, it can be done by anyone of any age.

http://celebrate4health.com/BodyBeautiful.html

I have answered all the posts in one email - hope that is okay!!!!??????

Have a beautiful Wednesday

Blessings

Re: Klara: being with non mb

>

>It FITS!!!!! And I can totally relate. I think when I wrote that post it was

after experiencing the very spicy meal my husband had cooked - and now that you

were daring enough to be so totally honest - I will admit, it was fish, with a

very spicy sauce, tho the predominant ingredient was parsley so I had thought it

was ok, I accepted his risotto, as I had recalled a friend telling me about when

she was in the company of Michio at a Japanese restaurant, which was awful, but

he sat there chewing well the white rice, so I figured, ok, if Michio can do it,

so can I. I didn't realize what all he put in the rice, I did see mushrooms and

peas, but what I didn't realize was there was cheese also.

> I also totally agree it's NOT about other people - I'm getting to understand

now that I can work on my relationship in ways that are beyond food - I don't

HAVE to eat the same food, tho perhaps later down the road that can happen. I

guess I am fortunate in that he does the cooking, which is a double edged blade,

in that perhaps he doesn't feel I am nourishing him - also a goal for the

future.

> My daughter who cooks is 21 and has very very definite ideas of what she

wants to make - I realize it only makes her unhappy when I want to change the

recipes to be less wide - so now I accept that one day a week I can go wider and

work harder during the week to be more nourishing to myself, i.e., take the time

to cook more full and varied meals rather than just the same things always.

> It is enjoyable when others appreciate your cooking - but please, , do

NOT take it personally when they don't - it's not about you, it's about when

they are ready for this food, and you just can't force that to happen.

> the substituting healthier versions for the traditional I did alot at the

beginning of my mb practice and when I was trying to get others to eat this way.

I've kind of let that go, as not as important to me now.

> Which I can do - the difficult part is for those who have loved ones who are

ill and refuse to try mb, that's a biggy.

> I sure wish I lived closer to you, I'd LOVE to share what you cook!!!!

> Klara

>

>leslieanneashburn wrote:

> I think it takes time to figure out what is palatable to certain

>people based on their own pecadillos, cultural background, favorite

>tastes, etc., and it helps to listen to what people like to eat and

>then try to recreate a healthier version. For example, if someone

>likes mashed potatoes and gravy, there are options for recreating

>this.

>

>Right now I'm cooking for a fantastic lesbian couple who got

>interested in MB's. They started inviting one of the women's

>parents over for dinner b/c the mom has debilitating rheumatoid

>(sp?) arthritis (getting much better now).

>

>They occasionally ask other friends to come, and last time, they

>invited her sister, husband, and child. The child was grossed out

>and wanted chili, but the more conservative sister and husband were

>astonished. They said, " This is REAL PEOPLE food " and took extras

>for the next day. Despite their intitial feelings of queasiness

>about trying " macrobiotic " or " healthfood " they were pleasantly

>surprised in the end. The food I cooked was more for the holidays

>so it might have had a tad more spice or familiarity than other

>things one could choose from among macro fare.

>

>I also cook for my family when I am home with them, or if they are

>visiting me, and they enjoy most everything (but not all).

>

>My boyfriend is not macrobiotic and I can totally relate to your

>feelings, Klara! It can be disheartening. It brings up a lot of

>different emotions for me and so it's a great way for me to reflect

>about myself as a person/girlfriend and about us as a couple too. I

>try to listen to the things that he likes from my cooking and focus

>on those when we eat together. It might be a bit wider than I'm

>used to, but that's OK.

>

>This may or may not be true for you, but I think for us it goes

>deeper than just the food. It has to do with his/our ability to be

>intimate with each other and for him to open himself up to being

>nurtured. If he doesnt want to be, I have to ask myself " why? "

>(especially when other non-macro people enjoy the very same recipes)

>and then think about my options available. he's a passionate surfer

>and loves fish (in macro theory this helps him to harmonize with the

>ocean and be a better surfer), and he's passionate about his

>Japanese American heritage too -- and so we sometimes have " cross

>talk " where we may not see eye to eye (or diet to diet). there are

>a lot of typical relationship issues there.... will spare you the

>personal details!!

>

>I was thrilled when out of the blue the other night he actually

>bought groceries and we went over to his mother's house and he

>spearheaded cooking for us. We have a fun " taco night " every once

>in a while, and they like to use ground turkey instead of beef

>(sorry to other vegans!). my option was to make a tempeh version if

>I wanted but decided on just having beans. He found an organic rice

>pilaf (to try and make me feel comforable) and we had a great

>bean/corn/chili/cilantro " salsa " on the side. While it wasn't what

>I would make now (e.g., canned corn) I really focused on the effort

>and desire. In life I think I/we often focus on the negatives

>instead of the positives, so it was a lesson for me to " catch him

>being good " .

>

>With friends and family, I never talk about MB unless they ask me

>something (through experience in being too dogmatic). At BBQs I

>fluctuate between not really worrying about what I might eat there

>to taking something with me to be sure I have something to eat. It

>depends on the situation. Sometimes I eat what others have out

>(white rice sushi, noodle dishes, etc) and sometimes I feel stuck

>with salad, tortilla chips, lots of raw veggies, and white rice....

>When with my family, they have their favorites, and I cook

>additional supplemental things, and people eat whatever. When with

>my b.f., I'll agree to eat out (Greek, for example) even though

>bread and spices might not be my best choice at that exact moment...

>I can always cook somethingfor myself later.

>

>I guess what I'm rambling about is there is not a straightforward

>answer. For me, it just depends on the moment and what my goal is

>in relation to the people Ilove. It's a choice between me and my own

>life and my own goals, and me harmonizing with others. It's just

>the best I can do in the moment, sometimes a " good decision " and

>other times a " bad decision " and who knows what it will bring in the

>future????

>

>just wanted to share with you my own experience. not sure if it

>helps or not....

>

>

>> > >

>> > > My daughter has that book - what's your favorite recipe??

>> > > My problem with cookbooks that aren't mb, or some that say

>> they

>> > are mb, are so so so many wide recipes, and once I go wide, I go

>> very

>> > wide - so I have to be more careful. I still see-saw too much,

>and

>> > need to go back more to the middle.

>> > > Klara

>> > >

>> >

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> ---------------------------------

>> Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.

>>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>---------------------------------

>Sponsored Link

>

>$420,000 Mortgage for $1,399/month - Think You Pay Too Much For Your

Mortgage? Find Out!

Brown Waxman

www.celebrate4health.com

www.bebabywise.com

info@...

[Guest guest]

It would be great to have you closer too! Still working on

developing a community of people who like to share this type of

food, and it's improving.

Have a good day, Klara.

> > > >

> > > > My daughter has that book - what's your favorite recipe??

> > > > My problem with cookbooks that aren't mb, or some that say

> > they

> > > are mb, are so so so many wide recipes, and once I go wide, I

go

> > very

> > > wide - so I have to be more careful. I still see-saw too much,

> and

> > > need to go back more to the middle.

> > > > Klara

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ---------------------------------

> > Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Sponsored Link

>

> $420,000 Mortgage for $1,399/month - Think You Pay Too Much For

Your Mortgage? Find Out!

>

[Guest guest]

Ditto and , if you ever want to come to Florida and cook for

me, I'll compliment each and every dish over and over.

I may even give you an ipod.

Reg

>

> It FITS!!!!! And I can totally relate. I think when I wrote that

post it was after experiencing the very spicy meal my husband had

cooked - and now that you were daring enough to be so totally

honest - I will admit, it was fish, with a very spicy sauce, tho the

predominant ingredient was parsley so I had thought it was ok, I

accepted his risotto, as I had recalled a friend telling me about

when she was in the company of Michio at a Japanese restaurant,

which was awful, but he sat there chewing well the white rice, so I

figured, ok, if Michio can do it, so can I. I didn't realize what

all he put in the rice, I did see mushrooms and peas, but what I

didn't realize was there was cheese also.

> I also totally agree it's NOT about other people - I'm getting

to understand now that I can work on my relationship in ways that

are beyond food - I don't HAVE to eat the same food, tho perhaps

later down the road that can happen. I guess I am fortunate in that

he does the cooking, which is a double edged blade, in that perhaps

he doesn't feel I am nourishing him - also a goal for the future.

> My daughter who cooks is 21 and has very very definite ideas of

what she wants to make - I realize it only makes her unhappy when I

want to change the recipes to be less wide - so now I accept that

one day a week I can go wider and work harder during the week to be

more nourishing to myself, i.e., take the time to cook more full and

varied meals rather than just the same things always.

> It is enjoyable when others appreciate your cooking - but

please, , do NOT take it personally when they don't - it's not

about you, it's about when they are ready for this food, and you

just can't force that to happen.

> the substituting healthier versions for the traditional I did

alot at the beginning of my mb practice and when I was trying to get

others to eat this way. I've kind of let that go, as not as

important to me now.

> Which I can do - the difficult part is for those who have loved

ones who are ill and refuse to try mb, that's a biggy.

> I sure wish I lived closer to you, I'd LOVE to share what you

cook!!!!

> Klara

[Guest guest]

So true Simon. You should really consider writing a book.

That's one of the reasons I started this group. I wanted all sorts

of great people with different perspectives hanging around me.

Peace,

Reg

>

> Hello and Vickie,

>

> Thank you for a wonderful piece of writing . It provoked me

to write a

> few thoughts although at a bit of a tangent.

>

> From my experience it help enormously to mix with different people

eating

> different foods. There is something warm, cosy and reassuring

about being

> with other people eating macrobiotically and it is wonderful to

learn from

> each other. At the same time I greatly value spending time with

people

> eating very different foods from me as they challenge my

perceptions

> regarding health and food and helps me be more open and flexible.

I used to

> feel an urge to try and Œconvert¹ my friends and family to some

kind of

> macrobiotic eating but I now feel happy with them just as they are

and

> actual appreciate the differences.

>

> Looking back there was a point where I felt truly content and

happy with my

> own macrobiotic practice that I felt much more open to other

people¹s

> lifestyles. At the same time people trying to practice

macrobiotics in

> complete isolation have run into problems and possibly suffered

because

> there were not other macrobiotic friends around who they could get

help

> from. That is one of the great things about this site in our

modern age.

>

> To me it really comes down to feeling happy with what you are

doing and

> having fun. Let other people join in if they wish. We tend to

attract people

> to join our movement when we come across as fun, smiling, healthy

people. It

> is much harder to convince people through conversation

particularly if we

> appear rigid, fanatical or uptight about food.

>

> Best wishes,

> Simon

[Guest guest]

So true Simon. You should really consider writing a book.

That's one of the reasons I started this group. I wanted all sorts

of great people with different perspectives hanging around me.

Peace,

Reg

>

> Hello and Vickie,

>

> Thank you for a wonderful piece of writing . It provoked me

to write a

> few thoughts although at a bit of a tangent.

>

> From my experience it help enormously to mix with different people

eating

> different foods. There is something warm, cosy and reassuring

about being

> with other people eating macrobiotically and it is wonderful to

learn from

> each other. At the same time I greatly value spending time with

people

> eating very different foods from me as they challenge my

perceptions

> regarding health and food and helps me be more open and flexible.

I used to

> feel an urge to try and Œconvert¹ my friends and family to some

kind of

> macrobiotic eating but I now feel happy with them just as they are

and

> actual appreciate the differences.

>

> Looking back there was a point where I felt truly content and

happy with my

> own macrobiotic practice that I felt much more open to other

people¹s

> lifestyles. At the same time people trying to practice

macrobiotics in

> complete isolation have run into problems and possibly suffered

because

> there were not other macrobiotic friends around who they could get

help

> from. That is one of the great things about this site in our

modern age.

>

> To me it really comes down to feeling happy with what you are

doing and

> having fun. Let other people join in if they wish. We tend to

attract people

> to join our movement when we come across as fun, smiling, healthy

people. It

> is much harder to convince people through conversation

particularly if we

> appear rigid, fanatical or uptight about food.

>

> Best wishes,

> Simon

[Guest guest]

both reasons are very motivating!!

> >

> > It FITS!!!!! And I can totally relate. I think when I wrote that

> post it was after experiencing the very spicy meal my husband had

> cooked - and now that you were daring enough to be so totally

> honest - I will admit, it was fish, with a very spicy sauce, tho

the

> predominant ingredient was parsley so I had thought it was ok, I

> accepted his risotto, as I had recalled a friend telling me about

> when she was in the company of Michio at a Japanese restaurant,

> which was awful, but he sat there chewing well the white rice, so

I

> figured, ok, if Michio can do it, so can I. I didn't realize what

> all he put in the rice, I did see mushrooms and peas, but what I

> didn't realize was there was cheese also.

> > I also totally agree it's NOT about other people - I'm getting

> to understand now that I can work on my relationship in ways that

> are beyond food - I don't HAVE to eat the same food, tho perhaps

> later down the road that can happen. I guess I am fortunate in

that

> he does the cooking, which is a double edged blade, in that

perhaps

> he doesn't feel I am nourishing him - also a goal for the future.

> > My daughter who cooks is 21 and has very very definite ideas

of

> what she wants to make - I realize it only makes her unhappy when

I

> want to change the recipes to be less wide - so now I accept that

> one day a week I can go wider and work harder during the week to

be

> more nourishing to myself, i.e., take the time to cook more full

and

> varied meals rather than just the same things always.

> > It is enjoyable when others appreciate your cooking - but

> please, , do NOT take it personally when they don't - it's

not

> about you, it's about when they are ready for this food, and you

> just can't force that to happen.

> > the substituting healthier versions for the traditional I did

> alot at the beginning of my mb practice and when I was trying to

get

> others to eat this way. I've kind of let that go, as not as

> important to me now.

> > Which I can do - the difficult part is for those who have

loved

> ones who are ill and refuse to try mb, that's a biggy.

> > I sure wish I lived closer to you, I'd LOVE to share what you

> cook!!!!

> > Klara

>

[Guest guest]

both reasons are very motivating!!

> >

> > It FITS!!!!! And I can totally relate. I think when I wrote that

> post it was after experiencing the very spicy meal my husband had

> cooked - and now that you were daring enough to be so totally

> honest - I will admit, it was fish, with a very spicy sauce, tho

the

> predominant ingredient was parsley so I had thought it was ok, I

> accepted his risotto, as I had recalled a friend telling me about

> when she was in the company of Michio at a Japanese restaurant,

> which was awful, but he sat there chewing well the white rice, so

I

> figured, ok, if Michio can do it, so can I. I didn't realize what

> all he put in the rice, I did see mushrooms and peas, but what I

> didn't realize was there was cheese also.

> > I also totally agree it's NOT about other people - I'm getting

> to understand now that I can work on my relationship in ways that

> are beyond food - I don't HAVE to eat the same food, tho perhaps

> later down the road that can happen. I guess I am fortunate in

that

> he does the cooking, which is a double edged blade, in that

perhaps

> he doesn't feel I am nourishing him - also a goal for the future.

> > My daughter who cooks is 21 and has very very definite ideas

of

> what she wants to make - I realize it only makes her unhappy when

I

> want to change the recipes to be less wide - so now I accept that

> one day a week I can go wider and work harder during the week to

be

> more nourishing to myself, i.e., take the time to cook more full

and

> varied meals rather than just the same things always.

> > It is enjoyable when others appreciate your cooking - but

> please, , do NOT take it personally when they don't - it's

not

> about you, it's about when they are ready for this food, and you

> just can't force that to happen.

> > the substituting healthier versions for the traditional I did

> alot at the beginning of my mb practice and when I was trying to

get

> others to eat this way. I've kind of let that go, as not as

> important to me now.

> > Which I can do - the difficult part is for those who have

loved

> ones who are ill and refuse to try mb, that's a biggy.

> > I sure wish I lived closer to you, I'd LOVE to share what you

> cook!!!!

> > Klara

>