Monday, July 4, 2016

From La Ferme to Le Spa Kristin

It's a spectacular day where I live and I'm happy to watch it from in here. Quinoa cooks while I drink some green juice and a turmeric shot. (Damn straight that quinoa's got butter in it. What am I, an ascetic?)

The Good and Turmeric booster from Greenhouse Juice
I'm wearing my new Concord T (the sleeveless hack) and I freakin' love it, even if my pre-vacation stitching handiwork is lacking. In truth, the fabric was more difficult than I imagined it would be...

It's Spa Kristin here. I've put on a face mask. I've body scrubbed. I've slathered everything with organic potions. I've put on my essential oil diffuser. I'm considering my next yoga practice as I'm in quite a bit of pain. I'm wondering about which half-done knitting project to pick up. I'm wondering about whether it's sacrilege to watch Netflix on a perfect summer day. I sent Scott out for a very fine Sauvingnon Blanc. Dinner's going to be here soon enough and, while I'm totally working the clean living angle, one's organic broth with vegetables and pastina needs a pairing.

(I've also paid bills, unpacked, cleaned, nagged at the child to clean and organized my life to the best of my ability given that I'm not really into it. I will assure you that throwing money at things comes with a serious downside. Lord. While I will never regret having purchased my new wrap - which I wore daily in Quebec while every chic woman complimented me in French - I might have waited for a less spendy moment.)

To return to the whole juice thing, just for a minute, I do want to mention how life changing that wretched juice fast was for me the winter before last. While I will never forego food purposefully again, the experience taught me that no-sugar green juice and I are weirdly compatible. Moreover, there is no turmeric shot in the GTA that I haven't tried at this point. And, well, you know of my homemade almond milk obsession...

Lots of people look at me like I'm insane when I tell them about my propensity to drink cold-pressed juice. It's not the drinking that shocks them so much as the paying a fortune for juice that's gone in 5-20 minutes. They don't even have cold-pressed shops in Quebec, as far as I can tell (at least not that I could find). Before I got into it, I was convinced that the juice thing would last about 5 minutes and then everyone would be out of business. (BTW - that's what I thought about online shopping, too, back in 1993.) Now that I've experienced the strange, deep cell-plumping feeling, that comes of drinking really high-quality vegetable juice, I'm frankly hooked. I do not believe it is mere placebo. The greens are delicious and intense and they make my body feel lively, even as pain is hovering. Furthermore, it's a massive haul of vitamins in every glass but you don't even have to chew - nor is there any of that hideous foam that comes from home-juicing! I dislike the tree-texture of many green vegetables even as I quite like the taste. Be ware, however, of the green juices with any amount of sugar. Very quickly they devolve into a fruit drink which does not leave one with liveliness, with that vitamin-y glow. If you want to drink sugar (and I don't recommend it), I suggest you do it with a nice Sauvignon Blanc. Or in the form of a macerated date in a glass of almond milk. Either is quite good. :-)

At any rate, off to eat some organic black quinoa. Ever had it? It's actually way better than the other colours. It's much crunchier - almost like popcorn in a way - and it's got a deeper flavour than the white and red varietals. If only I had some sheep to pet.

5 comments:

  1. You made me smile. Spectacular indeed. I used to have sheep, and yes, they are very satisfying to pet. Enjoy.

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  2. Thank Tami! Maybe one day I'll have sheep too :-)

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  3. So glad you've survived the vacation---the Baie looks idyllic (and my father just finished showing us ALL the photos they just took in Switzerland, so I feel well schooled in idyllic.) And that the kid has survived her neglect (not) as well. ;) (My elder teenager---yes, I have two now---successfully Adulted today by getting herself to her own eye appointment! Which almost makes up for how I had to drive her across town to her boyfriend's house, in rush hour, right after)

    I recently bought my first bag of quinoa (product of Saskatchewan! O_o) to cook, but I haven't ventured to make anything out of it yet. Me and culinary exploration are hit and miss...

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    1. OK, Switzerland is a worthy rival but QC is somehow more approachable, as I see it. More "every day" spectacular :-) I cannot believe you have 2 teens, what with your utter youthfulness. Are they not horrible to you these days? Mine is no picnic right now. Sometimes I just want to cry.

      Which colour of quinoa did you buy? I find that the red is a good gateway. It cooks just like rice (instruction-wise) but here's the thing I rec you do to get rid of the saponins on the exterior: toast it in the pot you'll use to make it. Just add the water after swishing it around on medium for about 5 minutes. Other option is to rinse it but I find the toasting is easier and it makes for an extra nutty flavour.

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    2. Regular (golden?) quinoa is what I got, I think? Thanks for the toasting tip. :) We had some puffed quinoa in the office the other week that was pretty yummy... :)

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