Cucumber Beetles:  You gotta go.  They initially looked like lady bugs to me.  Now, it doesn't matter.  I am not in an investigative place anymore.  I have decided to kill them.  This has me feel like I am loaded for bear.  Actually, I started out my war deciding to pick the beetles off every morning and sometimes in the evening.  AND, I seemed to be winning.  I would pick about 2 to maybe three off each day.  Today, there were at least six, maybe eight.  Before, my reasoning was:  "Let's be reasonable; I am much bigger than this little beetle.  I don't need to go in armed to kill.  I will pick them off and place them out of the garden -- in fact into another separate spot in the garden."  Each day, I still found at least one -- usually two-- beetles, though.  I sprayed an organic spray that seemed to matter early on too.  Seeing the six of them, my attitude changed.  "I am losing this war terribly, and my cucumbers are suffering."  "Until I find a way to better co-exist with you -- that is get some beneficial insects in here that will may check you all, I am checking you myself."  "It is down to whether I have cucumbers or not."  "SQUUSH." 

Afiya's Garden: Cantaloupe Heaven

Afiya's Garden: Cantaloupe Heaven: At some point this season I experienced what I considered the "perfect" cantaloup.  It was deeeeeelicious.  Wekesa and I purchas...

Cantaloupe Heaven

At some point this season I experienced what I considered the "perfect" cantaloup.  It was deeeeeelicious.  Wekesa and I purchased it from an organic Black farmer from South GA who said he was born as a child onto hundreds of acres.  This probably had it taste even better.

I decided to follow my heart and just plant it.  Many voices resonated in my head.  First, the "you're not a Brown voice." Growing up, it was the Browns who grew great watermelons.  Almost like what I have had our Malian instructor Baba Maiga teach us about our Songhoy culture:  certain families were known and good at fishing, farming, music, etc.  In fact Maiga would never sing when he played a guitar in public, as he was not known for that, and in his culture he should bring attention, fame and funds to the family that was.

Anyway, I digress.  I decided that watermellons and other mellons took the greatest, richest soil and expertise that the Browns had, and that I did not.

"You don't get enough sun."  I don't.  I only get about 4.5 hours at most when a minimum of 6 is probably needed for mellons and any other fruit-setting and root vegetables.

Still, the voice of "you like this mellon; if you could produce another like this one, wouldn't you love it and won't your children love them for generations to come" won out.

OK, and look at it -- Just doing what seeds do when we life aligns -- living out its destiny.

I will keep you posted, and I am claiming that I will take a picture of a beautiful delicious cantaloupe sliced and ready to eat.

Grow where you Are: My Front yard Edible Landscape

EDIBLE LANDSCAPE

I grew up eating mostly food that my parents grew.  So, when someone says they "can't grow food," I don't quite understand that.  For me, you just do a little everyday work along with God, nature, the universe and you get blueberries.  I love blueberries and love picking them from my front yard.

Very happy that I listened to my "little voice within" which said back to me one day --as I was lamenting that there were too many trees in my backyard and that I didn't have the money to cut them all down to make a garden there -- "USE WHAT YOU HAVE."  The space I had at the time was a front yard which got a little more sun than the back
yard.  I've been at it now for some years, and I am so proud to harvest so many great herbs regularly:  sage, cilantro, oregano, rosemary, spearmint, stevia.

My blueberries continue to increase.  This year, I am trying cantaloupe for the first time.  I also have tomatoes and cucumbers.

Speaking of where you are, I believe that my back deck gets pretty good sun too, so I am growing some things in containers. Yes, grow where you are and trust that your good intention and a little bit of work will go a long way.  Ase.'

Back to Raw: Look not where you fell but where you slipped (African Proverb)

Some of you were with me back in February just before Black Love Day when I was rockin' it -- pretty much 100% raw.  I was comfortable to go on with it -- was feeling good; looking good  -- no pain in knees, hip, legs; no stiffness in neck.

Well, I slipped, and today I write about my slipping and type out some of what I believe I need to continue my raw journey most successfully.

On the night of the Black Love Day Celebration, I didn't have anything to eat.  I had planned so well for everyone else, and I came up short.  I remember coming home and doing the best I could with what I had.  The next day, I was up saying I need some pampering, someone else to cook for me; Also, my kitchen was not ready for me to prepare anything -- needing cleaning badly.  And, I didn't have much food in the kitchen.  I was into my month of 28-Days of Black.  It was going to take too long to clean the kitchen; drive to the west side of town and shop at my black grocer and then come back and prepare something that I really like; plus I wanted to rest and relax and be cared for.

Lessons:

1.)  Make sure I have food for special occasions and not just something to get me by.  Make sure that I have celebratory food so I can be fed not only physically; also in other ways needed.

2.) Keep enough food in the house, and keep some food that I can go to quickly.  My friend Aggie told me yesterday that she keeps some cashew cheese on hand that she can throw into some nori (seaweed).  I'm having some now, and while it only takes a few minutes to make, it'll be good to just grab some when needed.

3.)  Make my eating and raw food lifestyle a priority.  The logic of going off diet when it is so challenging because there are so many other time-sensitive priorities doesn't hold up.  When I go down the road of cooked food, I eventually get to the worse ones:  coffee, sugar, etc., and then all my pains come back.  My production lags.  I can't make the case, especially when it comes to long term, and I must consider the long term since I want a life of longevity, abundance, vibrancy, etc.

So glad to be back.

Still Raw / Live -- Doing Fine

This time around I am really loving my raw ourney.  I have gone on a mostly raw food diet before, always with  at least one to two cooked meals per week, though. 

This time around, I decided I needed to do some serious detoxing and not interrupt the process every few days.  Wekesa, my husband, has continued with the two cooked meals (every Wednesday and Sunday), and he appears to do just fine.  I notice that he doesn't live for the next cooked meals, either.  Me, my cooked meals became my cooked days.  My rationale:  "Since I am having a cooked lunch or dinner, I may as well have a cup of coffee this morning; oh, and some cake or pie too."  This way, I never got out of the cooked food enough to not miss it.  Going almost 100% raw (I eat roasted seaweed), I am really getting into the lifestyle.  The meals that I remember and crave now are raw/live.

This past weekend put me to the test.  On Friday night, I attended a birthday party and was okay that there was nothing for me to eat.  I pulled out my two emergency-food oranges when needed.  I also took my own spelligrino water, and it was refreshing and special.

On yesterday, at a pizza joint, I had the owner build me a very nice salad, and she brought me lime and a garlic-infused olive oil that was right on time.  Delicious.

I am now into my second month of my raw food journey.  Feeling stronger.  I am getting past my first level of detox and on my way.

Loving my journey...

Prancing, Bending, Moving Freely Without Pain -- There's a Party Tonight

Feeling so happy today and excited, for there is a party tonight, and I like to dance with my whole body -- going down to the floor and coming back up with a smile and not pain.  My knee stopped hurting after the fourth day on my raw / live food diet.  Let me tell everyone that that was reason enough to continue.  It is my commitment to myself to never accept pain as a natural, must live with phenomenon.  I view pain as a messenger and vow to always listen to it as such and then take on the challenge of doing or not doing what is needed to take care of the cause of the pain.

For those with joint pain, this article may prove very helpful.  Perusing it, I excitedly see that I am not eating or drinking the items that are said to lead to joint pain and injury  and that I am eating pretty much all the foods that are said to aid in healing.  Yay me!   Click to read FOODS FOR JOINT HEALTH.

 

Broccoli Delight

Today was the first time I decided I didn't want to eat "cold" food.  I am a room temperature kind of person when it comes to eating and drinking -- not hot or cold; just right.  After I first started this raw food journey, I realized that I had chosen the coldest time of the year.  "I'm gonna freeze my __ hind off, "I said.  Actually, I've been fine.  It has been colder too.  I am still in the snow blizzard of 2014.  Snow has still not melted on the ground.  I've been fine.  So glad I did not delay.  And, no I have not missed hot soup.  I can always make mine a little bit warm and be fine.  Usually, I take my food out of the refrigerator in the early part of the morning, and by lunchtime, it is just like I want it -- at room temperature.  Not today.  So, the broccoli was really cold.  What I did to warm it was put a little water into the bottom of a pan and put the heat almost down to the pilot light  and just let it sit there for maybe about 5 minutes.  It was then at room temperature.  I was really clear that I was not attempting to cook the broccoli.  I am eating raw / live food right not -- food not heated past 115 degrees.

Okay, so how did I make my Broccoli Delight.  I was thinking Asian flavors.  Oh, the olives?  I put them into almost everything.

I chopped up onion, garlic and ginger, broccoli, olives, and finely chopped carrots in the food processor.  When I put it into the pan to warm it a little, I threw in some braggs liquid aminos (soy sauce will work too).  I also put in a little toasted sesame oil (remember, I was thinking Asian).  Oh, incidentally toasted sesame is not considered raw.  I mixed it all up a little and put everything into the bowl.  Then, I chopped up some papaya and avocado for good measure.  I am loving it right now. 

Detoxing Continues -- The Peeling of the Onion

My detoxing this time around has really not been so bad, especially from the beginning.  I was thinking that I'd get out pretty lucky this time.  These first symptoms I did not have

• Skin breakouts
• Bloating, stomach pains
• Headaches
• Food cravings
• Trouble sleeping, nightmares

Starting late Saturday night, I started these:

• Fatigue, drowsiness, low energy levels
• Irritability
• Congestion or Mucus that feels like a cold

"Oh, no, I don't have time to slow down.  I have EVERYTHING to do.  Not, now, please.  I started this lifestyle of eating so I could go full-swing all the time."  My body clearly said, "NO."

Okay, what's a smart girl to do?  I decided to tune in and listen to my body.  This is what I heard and subsequently did.

1.)  The first message:  "It aint ova." I would not be getting out so easily, and this would not be the last time that my body would go into this DETOX mode.  "It's like peeling away an onion layer, and then another and then another.  My body sees an opportunity to do some good cleansing, and it is taking it.  Some schools of thought say, "Slow down the detox process by eating some cooked food or whatever you have cut out of your diet."  I decided against this, as I don't want to give my body mixed signals.

2.)  "Don't feed me right now."  One reason that I knew I was into some kind of phase/zone is that I was not hungry at all.  Nothing appealed to me:  raw or cooked.  Didn't even miss Wekesa's popcorn anymore.  Didn't want papaya (one of my favorite foods).  I forced a fruit smoothie and later on that night my body seemed to want four oranges and some water.  Today, I have been drinking water and young coconut water.  The coconut water is soothing to my tummy.  I will wait for my body to tell me to eat again.

3.)  "Rest.  Yes, stop the presses and rest."  "Yes, I know tax season is on; I know your Algebra students need you.  Yes, so much else is expected from you, and you will rest for awhile."  This is hardest for me.  I am never sick.  Folks who know me best don't know me taking days off sick.  I remember reading that our ancestors' wisdom taught:  "give energy to a fast, and eventually you will get back abundant energy."  This is my prayer, and it helps to know that I will benefit greatly.  I have made myself warm and comfortable and focused on the goodness of what is going on.  Also, as I came back to work today (moving ever so slowly), I kept reminding myself that one of the most important things in life I can focus on is my health and well-being.  With that reminder, I continue pulling back one more onion layer.

Are you Black-Owned? Yes and Christian Too

I saw the sign and said, "Let me check this one out.  Hopefully they're Black-owned."  "Yes," the sister employee said, and then smiled and said, "The owner is Christian too."

I thought to myself, I don't think your competition is with Muslims or Buddhists, etc.  I think your challenge is to draw our people from mostly white-owned establishments who choose them especially because they are white.  Anyway, I laughingly said to myself.  I am not going to hold either against you.  In fact, that you are Black-owned pushes me to you today.

Yes, I am pushing myself more to buy Black, and not just when it is comfortable or feels right, especially when it feels not-so-right. 

The market of thrift is mine.  I consider myself an excellent, seasoned shopper.  I know how to shop this market and get what I want at the best price.  I don't buy items that I must repair or that I will use when I lose weight, retire or when the Lord comes, etc.  I get what I want and need and most often feel very fulfilled in my purchases.  So, I already have shops in mind, online stops, bartering options, etc.  Not one of them is a Black-owned business. I push myself to find yard sales in my community --  no regular businesses though.  The few that I have patronized in the past have closed.  Why?  Probably because I did not support enough, and enough of my kind did not. 

So, I looked with eyes that said, "There are items in here for me."  I was happy to hear about the 24% discount, and I pushed myself to pay a little more if needed.  I found two beautiful vases.  I love fresh cut flowers and was in the market for a beautiful vase as a wedding gift for our (AYA's) science teacher.  She is going to love it, and she will love it more knowing that I purchased it from a Black-owned business. 

Ringing me up, the sister must have added 25% to the sale price.  I helped her figure it all out, and she expressed sincere gratitude.  I also suggested that she get herself onto the Around the Way app so more of us can find her.  It's a smart phone app that will let you know our businesses that are closest to you.  Go to:  http://aroundthewayapp.com/.

Also, join me in Buying from only Black-owned establishments during the month of February, 2014. 
My daughter Ife and some comrades of hers at Bennett College are kicking this out.  28 Days of Black.

Reaching for Popcorn -- Not

Energy waning fast.  In my recent past, I would head to the kitchen for some hot-air popped popcorn with some drizzling olive oil, nutritional yeast and good herbs and spices -- sea salt of course.  Some of you know of my husband Wekesa's special concoction.  It's the food that folks usually ask for first at our house.  This is one thing I have given up for now.

I miss it.  I am feeling my sadness.  What is my loss:  it tasted so good.  Gave good instant energy.  I could even justify that it was made as healthily as I could imagine.  Yes, it was an old trusted friend that has moved away; changed her/his number. No, actually:  a good friend to whom I have said, "Let's take a break."  She understands that I need to get on down my raw road and maybe hook up with her from time to time down the line. 

I'm good.  Now, will it be a good ripened banana or pear?

Tomato Basil with Hemp (Marijuana's Cousin or maybe Sister): Raw Soup #2

I have been saying that if I can master three soups to my taste satisfaction -- that I will be good to stay with this raw food lifestyle.  Wekesa saved last week with his raw broccoli soup.  It is delish.  Trust me -- so good.

One of my favorite soups has been a tomato basil.  I love the stuff.  I had been working hard to avoid the white girl (milk and cheese -- dairy).  The soup is best when it is creamy.  So, today, I kept thinking HEMP SEEDS.

Hemp seeds have been my fascination lately.  At the farmer's market, when purchasing for the first time, a sister quietly warmed up to me to ask a very serious question.  She said, "I am embarrased to ask this question, but I gotta ask somebody."  "Is this marijuana?" I told her the little I knew:  "No; it is in the same family though.  I think it's in how it's grown."

Back at home, I'm running for google.  Marijuana is the flowering tops and leaves of psychoactive varieties of Cannabis that are grown for their high THC content.
Industrial hemp has a low THC content compared to its CBD content. THC is typically less than 1 percent. Okay, good to get that clarity.  I have a fund memory of a sister creating raw brownies and carrot cake using hemp.  While I am not big on desserts, I'll be playing in that direction too.

Anyway, I have soup #2:

sundried tomatoes (fresh ones if you can get them)
garlic
semi-hot water (in winter)
basil (I used the Asian variety)
couple tbs of hemp seed
a dab of chickpea miso
sea salt
grounded black pepper

Twigs of rosemary were added to take the photo.  They smelled delicious.  I'll throw some in next time.  So grateful that I have played enough with creating food (cooked and raw) that I feel confident to play like that.  Sorry that my recipes are not so exact.  If you want/need more exactness, just google and get plenty of other folks' quantitative directions to lead you to something wonderful. 

Soup #2 in the bag.

Gourmet Raw Food - Not!

This time around on raw / live foods, I am very excited about my resolve to not go gourmet.  In times past, I couldn't wait to try the raw pizza and lasagna and fettuccine.  Oh, and raw cheesecake, right?  I love Italian food, so naturally I resonated with these menu items.  This time around, I'm good for more simple selections.  Also, since I have a good sense for making these items, I feel confident to let my nose and eyes for Italian food inspire me from time to time.  I don't stick with these type items for some good reasons.  First, they don't taste exactly like the cooked choice.  Actually, after awhile on raw foods, they taste better to me.  They are definitely apples to oranges, though.  Second, it takes too much time to prepare.  Very often, the prep time for these dishes is quite prohibitive for me.  Third, I don't need such choices to feel satisfied.  For instance, last night I did make Afiya's version of raw tacos.  Instead of making the taco shell from corn, though, I used romaine lettuce leaves.  I made some quick filling from some pecans I had already soaked and dehydrated earlier anyway.  Just threw them in the blender and added garlic, onion, seasalt, cumin, chili powder and cilantro, sun-dried tomatoes and a little olive.  I spread this onto my lettuce leaf, some sprouted alfalfa, some quick salsa I zipped up and sliced some avocado and olives, and I was good to go.  Talk about good.  I was cooing like some of the raw food gurus when they demonstrate their recipes.  I was like, "Wow, I usually say they are just a little bit over the top."  Well, I was happy with my creation. 

Medicine as Food Today: Fenugreek, Slippery Elm, Cayenne Pepper

 FENUGREEK

SLIPPERY ELM BARK

CAYENNE PEPPER

My nasal discomfort from detoxing continues, and actually it is not too bad.  No headaches.  Actually, I have never had a headache.  I know.  I'm grateful.  Anyway, I'm going with the theory of "traffic jam."  It says that when we are cleansing the body, the organs get a little overwhelmed, and the body seek other channels to expel waste -- the mucous membranes.  I'm going with that one.  So, to aid the body?  I boiled Fenugreek and am drinking that slowly.  My goal is for the fenugreek to do it's work of pulling mucous from my body.

I placed slippery elm bark into my morning smoothie which consisted of apple, spinach and water. Slippery elm also breaks up mucous.

I put a big pot of water onto the stove and dashed in some cayenne pepper.  Cayenne pepper will run everything out in a house -- including bad spirits.  Just kidding; LOL.  I can't say that.  It will run some mucous, though.  As the children were growing up, I used to boil cayenne on the stove every morning, and that kept their mucous levels down to almost nil.  My Dad used to use this method to open up his sinus cavity.  Don't forget it and let it boil down only to the pepper.  That burn will make everything worse.  Get kleenex (tissues) to offer your guests.

So, hopefully this will speed up my cleansing or at least help me feel a little better.

Help from Friends

I am so grateful to all my Facebook friends for graphics such as the image above.  Perusing through, I usually find just the incentive or inspiration I need to stay on track. 

This one comes from my friend Sheila Smith.  Thanks Sheila.

My detox of nasal uncomfortability continues.  I started this morning with 32 ounces of water and look forward to continued cleansing and a continued journey to health. 

I'm not Sick; Just Detoxing

I remember the first naturopath I met years ago saying:  "In natural healing, things often get worse before better."  Starting yesterday, I have had this sinus discomfort that is driving me crazy, a little achy, cold feeling.  How could it be that I am feeling worse?  As I understand it, detoxification goes that way.  So glad that I understand that I am getting better and will feel so much better on the other side.  Realized this when fasting in the past too and leaned on the old adage:  We must first give to the fast (our energy and focus) and then the fast will give to us with renewed energy down the road.  I am content to stay on track and look forward to feeling better. 

This article was very helpful:  http://www.raw-food-for-the-beginner.com/RawFoodDetox.html

Feeding our Children more than Food

Wekesa was right about me.  One of my challenges to staying on the food plan right for me, has to do with my girls.  Like my mama, Thelma, one way that I express love is through food -- that is my preparing it and serving it up.  So, for a few years now, upon Ife's return home for a break, I have jumped back into (especially breakfast foods) pancakes and eggs with cheese when I have been able to stay away from them for months and months at at time when she is away.

Why?  I think it's all the associations of love and good times that nudge me to go back and experience all that goodness one more time. 

This time was different.  On yesterday Ife was doing her best to get everything packed and loaded -- trying to beat the incoming cold weather and arrive in Greensboro before nightfall.  My motherly instincts said:  "Don't pester her with: 'how close are you, etc.; help her.'" So, I first packed up all her food from the frig.  I then had the idea of preparing her some breakfast, and the thought came:  I will not be eating the foods that she still enjoys.  I felt this lack of connection for a little while and then got busy.  I quickly spotted some potatoes that were left over from some potatoe soup I made for the UHURU Esusu Kwanzaa celebration -- "need to cook these anyway." I chopped these up; chopped up some onion and a little garlic.  Ran to the yard (garden) for some rosemary.  Sea-salted all of this with a nice massage.  Squirted the olive oil into the pan and placed the potatoes and fixins in.  I then rounded up some guests for Ife, as I was not even hungry.  Her sister, Sarafina, was happy to join in.  Her Dad, Wekesa, could join her, as Sunday is a cooked meal day for him.  They loved the potatoes and salsa.  I sat down and enjoyed a quick banana, thanking God for them -- as they are the quickest raw / live food I know.  

We held hands and thanked our Creator and ancestors for Ife's visit and her sweet company during the winter holiday break and asked for blessings as she completes her college journey. 

Feeling so good about this milestone and feeling boundless energy, I ran outside to aid her in one more way:  washed her car and cleaned the inside from top to bottom -- even found $5.00 that she was happy to see. 

I then resonated and proudly realized that I was able to give Ife the following:
1.) support as she left as opposed to nagging
2.) a sight of a family eating different types of foods and still sitting down and loving each other
3.) different options for eating:  vegetarian, vegan, raw / live
4.) a picture of her 56-year-old mother feeling happy, whole and fit

Faster than a cup of Coffee -- The Elixir of Life

Spinach / Banana Green Smoothie

OK, it was just this quick.  Take spinach out of fridge.  This time I had the kind you pick up at Sam's, Costco, even Walmart.  Get the organic kind.  Throw into blender.  Put in frozen bananas (makes it really sweet); water (I use distilled) -- just pour from bottle or however you get water.  (Avoid tap if at all possible).  Blend in your blender (high speed if possible, and actually there are no cores or stems to break up, so any blender will do).  Drink immediately.  This one tastes really good.  Nice and creamy; sweet.  As we give up processed sugar, we taste the sweetness of the spinach too.  

Do you need to acquire a taste for it?  If you haven't gotten hooked on coffee yet, you'll have to acquire a taste for it too, especially if you leave the white girls out (sugar and cream).

Turn up for calcium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C and magnesium, Vitamin B6, and potassium. 

Kale, Not Collard: A sistah aint worth her ____ unless she can make a jam-up kale salad.

All praises to kale greens.  In the ATL, I see kale salads more and more.  Used to be, most sistahs could cook some collards; maybe not turnips or mustards, but definitely collards.  Collards were queen.  On most tables you could find them.

At recent Black gatherings in the last few years, I have alarmingly found collards left off the table.  No collards?  What?  Can it be?  In addition to the loss of fiber, seems like we are losing heritage.  We could get collards anytime of the year; we could grow them ourselves, even in our front yards, amongst our flowers.

Thank God that we sistahs are working the kale:  cookin' it, juicing it, tossing it, and in my case mashing it.  Okay, the recipe.

AFIYA'S SMASHING KALE

Take the freshest kale you can find (grow your own if possible) and place it in a bowl.  Cut up some onion, garlic and ginger (as small as you like it).  Put in a squirt or two of olive oil.  Chop up some olives and sundried tomatoes.  Add anything else that appeals to you like chopped celery, shredded carrots.  Oh, and a little curry goes a long way (forgot this in mine, and it is still delicious).  Chop an avocado.  Put in some salt:  sea salt, braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce.  Lastly, some nutritional yeast:  throw some in.  Now, take both hands and smash to your delight like you are kneading dough.  Now, sit back and enjoy.  Oh, last:  lick the bowl.

Turn Up in 2014

TURN UP

"What is it? " asked Ife.  "It's sooooo good for you," I, Mom replied. OK, the beginning of the green smoothie occurred two days ago:  spinach, banana, water, psyllium and flax seed.  That was pretty good.  Today, I added more water and frozen raspberries.  I realized that we hold ourselves to some pretty rigid standards sometimes with the goal of:  everything we eat or drink has to taste so delicious.  I'm leaving that one behind.  "It doesn't taste bad," I said. I then said, think  of it as medicine if necessary and TURN UP.  She said mom, you are too funny.  She did as instructed and finished it all.

The best Salad of 2014

The best salad so far this year has just been created and enjoyed immensely.  If the rest of my raw journey goes like today, this year, I will be more than fine.

Afiya's Garden Salad

In a bowl, place your salad mix (lettuces).  I get the organic spring mix from Sam's or Costco (for the best price) when I don't have enough in my garden to pick.  Yes, plant your own organic mix and just snip as desired.  

I added onion, garlic, olives, fresh tomatoe, sun-dried tomatoes.  Now, my special trick is to squirt a little olive oil (use the squirters for ketchup and mustard) and dash a little sea salt and toss.  This makes the salad already good before the dressing (sauce).  Oh, dice some avocado.  Yum.

Now, take your blender (heavy duty if possible) and add some tahini (sesame seed butter), braggs aminos or soy salt, water, and some fresh herbs.  For this, I did run to the garden and grab a handful of oregano (I have tons of this.  Stop by and take) and thyme.  Throw in and blend up.  Get the salt content right by adding more water if needed, or add more braggs or a dash of sea salt.

Now, toss with this salad sauce (as I call it).  The result -- see above.  LICKING THE BOWL.  

Happy New Year!