Recharging

I was under the weather yesterday. I had not slept well the night before due to drainage from some new tree pollen. Most of the flower pollen is waning now, but it did not make me sick this year as it always has before. I assessed my sore throat and general lack of energy yesterday with disappointment. It is not easy to be sick over the weekend in this lively household. Since going vegan, most medications affect me in an extreme manner, so I avoid using them. Yesterday afternoon I stepped away from the sewing machine, fixed myself a cup of echinacea tea and lay down for two hours. It always feels wrong not to be productive, part of my stay-at-home-Mom guilt, I guess. But I am starting to learn to listen to what my body tells me. Unbuffered by chemicals and animal fats, along with their antibiotics and hormones, it is always clear in expressing itself, and it is always right. So I did what my body wanted, muddled through the rest of the evening, had a good night's sleep and woke this morning at 5:30 a.m. feeling much better.

This healing in less than 24 hours, especially from an ear, nose or throat malady, is unprecedented for me. Since going to College in Williamsburg, Virginia (go Tribe!) I have suffered from seasonal allergies, basically tending sinus infections all season long in the springtime, and when we moved to Georgia it got worse. I have been treated medically with varying, but always temporary, degrees of success. Never before in adulthood have I avoided getting a sinus infection from pollen for most of the season as I have this year. And, once succumbing to an allergic reaction, never have I healed this quickly and easily, without any medication. I attribute these blessings 100% to my being vegan since February 11, 2010!

I wanted something healthy and energizing this morning, with plenty of protein and vitamin C. So I fixed an English muffin topped with hummus and my homemade salsa from Cinco de Mayo. My Mom made the plate and mug - a whole set of each - aren't they pretty?

I love my salsa!  Here's how I make it:
3 tomatoes
1/4 vidalia onion
1/4 poblano chile
handful of fresh cilantro
juice of one large lime
2 Tbsp. e.v. olive oil
sea salt, pepper

Since I like organic tomatoes, which tend to have thicker skins, I skin them first -- cut an x in the bottom of each and plunge them into rapidly boiling water for only 10 seconds.  The skins then slip right off.  I think it really makes a difference in the texture of the tomatoes and also in how they absorb the lime juice and olive oil.  Just dice everything and give it a stir -- sublime!  It's best unrefrigerated, but still, even cold, so much better than bottled salsa.

Those are my amazing kids in motion up there.  Have a wonderful day!