I have been stewing for a couple of months over my goals for the year and I now realize that I'm on a bit of a different path for 2011. I ordinarily go through quite a process to arrive at my intentions, but this year that isn't working for me. I have a tendency to make choices based heavily on the complexity or difficulty of completing the tasks. Something that is hard to do is worth the glory of the accomplishment, right? Hmm.

By choosing to pursue only really difficult things, I tend to create unnecessary stress for myself. I hold those goals over my own head and try to force things that just aren't ready to happen. It is easy to feel suffocated by this unneeded stress. Some degree of challenge is essential for growth but too much struggling, in areas that I am not truly connected with, is truly pointless.

Rather than choosing to walk the path that is the most difficult to traverse, this year I have chosen this phrase as my mantra: sink in. Instead of creating my regularly difficult To Do list for the year, I want to sink in to honoring what I need in the moment. To assemble a life of "I-would-love-to..."s and "too-good-to-be-true"s. I don't want to spend my time unnecessarily. I want to play and be creative. To explore and make messes. I love this:


I did create a list of ideas such as getting to the beach more often, soaking in hot mineral springs, climbing things with great views from the top, simmering pots of heirloom beans, making homemade yogurt and breads, doing more yoga, and writing creatively. My list does fill a page. The difference, though, is that I will navigate the pace and direction of things with my intuition instead of a timeline or spreadsheet. I won't crunch numbers. I'll just sink in.

What are you going to do in 2011?

1. Holding the chiles one at a time with metal tongs, quickly toast them by turning them an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until the aroma fills the kitchen. (Alternatively, toast chiles in a dry pan over medium heat, pressing them flat for a few seconds then flipping them over and pressing again.) When cool enough to handle, stem and seed the chiles, break them into pieces and put them in a blender along with tomatoes and their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won’t completely puree the chiles.)
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Add the onion and garlic to the blender with the tomato mixture. Process until smooth.
3. Return the pot to medium heat. Add the puree and stir continuously until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add broth, water and epazote. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the beans and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add the greens and season with salt to taste. Cook until the greens are wilted, about 2 minutes, depending on the type of greens.
5. Serve garnished with cilantro, avocado, and a squeeze of lime.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8″ x 8″ pan with parchment paper. Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts (except chia seeds).
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted Earth Balance, chia (or flax) seeds, almond butter, applesauce (or pumpkin), molasses, maple syrup, and water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until well combined.
3. Spread mixture evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle brown sugar lightly over the top (optional). Bake for about 35 minutes, until brown around the edges. Cool in the pan for a few minutes then use the edges of parchment to lift them from the pan and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool, cut the bars into squares. If they seem crumbly, you can refrigerate them for 30 minutes or so before cutting them.