DAY EIGHT ALKALINE YEAR

BUCKWHEAT AND OLD LAVENDER

October 4, 2009 Buckwheat groats, available in most places that sell bulk foods, are alkaline, surprisingly easy to prepare--20 minutes to boil, no soaking needed--and add protein, taste and texture to any mixture--okay, gemischt--of green, yellow, and red vegetables. That and sauteeing onions in a little sesame oil, provided a good start for the church breakfast today. Hindsight is always perfect; I should have made twice as much.

The ingredients were:

2 cups buckwheat groats (bring to a boil in salted water, then simmer for 20 minutes, covered for part of that time, stirring now & then to make sure nothing sticks. Reserve the groats while you make the rest.

1 big onion, chopped, sauteed in your biggest frying pan with 3 T olive oil and a good grating of pepper, for about 20 minutes, adding a little vegetable broth if it looks dry before turning translucent

8 medium tomatoes--these are low acidic but okay because everything surrounding them is alkaline; these came from a friend's garden and he not only has great soil but knows how to cultivate it. Add to the translucent onion 4 medium crookneck squash, sliced, and a couple of cups of vegetable broth, either what you've made yourself from previous cookings or a good organic commercial brand such as Pacific.

Sea salt, to taste

Turmeric, at least 3 teaspoons, more for a large crowd. (Some 70 souls showed up on this gorgeous fall day, which was Blessing of the Animals out on the lawn after breakfast. Our priest, who is also a retired bishop, wore his full regalia including mitre, the tall pointed hat with peaks front and back. Liturgically artistic!)

Another grating of pepper

Simmer the ingredients 5 minutes, then chop and add a bunch of kale (I discard the tougher stems for mulch, but they can be used too.) and a bunch of collard greens.

Over medium heat, stir in the buckwheat groats and keep pushing the greens under the rest of the melange until the greens are wilted.

This was a side dish and should have fed about 50 people, with stradas and French toast as main dishes. The congregants went after the French toast "like beagles diving in a dumpster," said one observer. There were many complements to the strada makers and four or five people said they liked the gemischt. Vegetables for breakfast? Why not?

Bishop Craig blessed the animals, like their owners a noisy lot!

After cleanup I headed to a nearby restaurant where the owner, Heinz, had said I could trim his lavender. I'm good at it, and this year also did it for both the Community Church and Emmanuel. In return for trimming it, I take the buds to use in sachets. I did five plants before realizing I'd had neither breakfast or lunch, and that a nap would also feel good. So I came home and ate, in quick succession, half a grapefruit, a whole avocado, and am snacking on almonds as I write. & gulping water too.

The trick of trimming lavender, by the way, is to preserve several whitish grey-green out-croppings that you'll see at the bottom of the stem. These are its leading edge for growth next year. Also, you want the plant to look like an inverted U shape when you're done.

The whole back end of my car is full of cut lavender now, and I feel tired but proud of today's accomplishments.