renaissance mamas

beauty gifts....

2011-12-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

hello beauties...have you seen enough of these beauty baskets?? i know, i feel the same way...i can't get enough of shooting the beauty of this incredible food and nourishment in these baskets! here are a few more recent ones...AND this just in: RM miracle certificates for the intimate & inspiring gatherings in my kitchen! we are getting closer to the holidays and i would be honored to be on your holiday lists with the JOY of nurturing your friends & family this holiday (and really all year long.. i mean we get hungry a lot ;) food is the ultimate offering and when it comes custom and created with love like this.. there is nothing better but to find it at your door or in your kitchen... you can also give the baskets as a housewarming offering for the host etc... i don't need to tell you how many uses food in this gorgeous way can be given... we all know who really deserves one of these every week....YOU! sending love & blessings during this crazy time of year... please, ground & make a soup OR at the very least a tea. it's been really helping me get through... see you in the kitchenxxxx

A MIRACLE.

2011-12-05T09:31:00.000-08:00

happy december beauties!!

missing you & me so much... the life of a renaissance mama is forever defining itself in, out and all around me. i have been trying to get this post out for a thousand years.....i can feel you all nodding your heads in understanding and i love you and this gorgeous community for that. please, go make a tea, i'll wait here....i have been returning to the ever spicy and sweet chai latte with a frothy almond milk... i was also turned on to this beautiful pomegranate green tea by a dear renaissance mama...i have been offering that one in the miracles... oh! and get your books, i phones, wall calendars out... this is about making darn sure to nourish YOU this month.... as it's the hardest month to do it!! we have to come together as a community and make it happen or it will not as we all know so well. this is the time WE GIVE TILL OUR BLOOD RUNS DRY (is that dramatic enough?) and then we decide to reconnect to ourselves in the new year (on a gurney..) when most of us truly believe we will be able to see straight again... and we don't stop there.. we decide to make goals, hopes, wishes of ourselves, draw up lists, intentions scrolls, etc... oy, we are a mess! that made me laugh out loud.. i know some of you are really on it and have figured this piece out (taking callers...) and i have pockets of that clarity too (before beauty...) today, i am speaking to the over-scheduled, crazy pants ambitious women & mamas & all of us out there who, like me, want to do it all ALL of the time... especially during the holidays where rituals come to their peak status... and we LOVE those rituals.... so here is a beautiful ritual to begin ane make happen in december: A MIRACLE. i have decided to have only ONE this month (yeah.. i got the memo ;) let us gather, feed off the beauty, celebrate each other, share in this nourishing as we give to all around us this holiday.

HOLIDAY MIRACLE

DECEMBER 15, 2011

10:30 - 1ish

75$/in advance

JULES KITCHEN/MT WASHINTON

*these are intimate gathering, rsvp asap to reserve your wooden bowl

OH! and give the miracle as a gift.... there are RM certificates, custom created, stamped & printed for those you love... you can also get one in a beauty basket with some rustic beauty produce.. more on this very soon!

if i don't see you...have a beautiful holiday and let us continue to inspire, empower and feed each other in this way... see you in the kitchenxxxx

beauty baskets.

2011-11-03T21:19:00.000-07:00

this season is just oozing with BEAUTY....the hues of oranges, reds, browns, purples, greens, it's a rainbow of love coming out of the ground to greet us everyday. it's poetry, dance, art in color, texture, taste that continues to inspire me into this deep place of gratitude... all i want to do is SHARE it... it's the only way... our farmers trek to hollywood and ivar, arizona & 3rd, and all over the city to sell us their goods.... and we (ok, i) get up early, drive away from a cozy sunday morning or a wednesday west side drive in back to back traffic to meet our food, to gather the good medicine, to reconnect to my source, the sustenance, the core of life in this way.... to feel the miracle & bring it home to my family.. yes, it's a journey that takes effort, time & priority. it is a lifestyle, no doubt. once you taste what is happening here, there is nothing like it. you can't replace the taste of a weiser watermelon radish, a mcgrath tahitian squash, a peacock farms fuyu persimmon...it's just this way. you might get close, but the best will always be the best. period.

oh and i love the best....

i am launching another branch to the ever blossoming renaissance mama tree: BEAUTY BASKETS!!! custom baskets of seasonal fruits, vegetables & amazing, yummy foods from the market.. passionately and lovingly gathered, inspired by the BEST of the market... they are abundant gifts to give yourself, your family and your friends... i think of them as gratitude gifts...this is the best time to send one as the day of thanks is on its way... who are you thankful for and how can you show them what you mean.....let me deliver beauty in a basket to their door. food is the best gift. we all need it, no matter how much or how little we have.

i am taking just a few more orders for thanksgiving baskets (for the actual day)... bring it as a gift to the host or a centerpiece for your home to nosh on later... i deliver all over the city. i also create & cook meals for those who need cooked foods... new mamas, those in the healing process & everyone that needs food! it really should be called 'skies the limit baskets'..... anything that goes in a basket with food, is what i am up to.... so get your gratitude lists ready and lets go!

if you are just coming aboard the RM train..... my passion is to feed you. mamas, women, all of us. i want you to have the best & i show you how to do it, in your life, right now (no, not when you have 'time')... guiding you back to your beauty, the love of the season while inspiring & empowering you to reconnect to yourself, your kitchen, your family in this intimate way with food & cooking... embracing all that it brings (and doesn't bring) & creating a space that is YOURS. i see it over and over again... if you are nurtured, you want to share the feeling, then you yearn to nourish your family. let me feed you in all the ways.... see you in the kitchenxxxx

crazy.

2011-10-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

i am CRAZY for the colors of the fall bounty....the warty skins of the pumpkins and squashes, the sheeny beam of the fuji persimmons and the red ruby pomegranates that radiate abundance. they all scream at me throughout the day! open me up, you are so lucky to have me! be grateful for this beauty, for this lush truth inside me, how amazing i am! i can't help but agree! (and no, this is not when i put on a skirt and start prancing and dancing around the kitchen table and singing songs fiddler on the roof style..but i like the idea of it ;)

the food is so gorgeous right now... and in this season specifically, we love to make our 'food altars'...we adorn our dining room tables with the the variety of rusty to light oranges, forest & celadons greens, browns & yellows too.... something inside of us says YES. it just feels right... we are celebrating the harvest, the season, the gratitude of this food and for many of us, it says HOME.

then....

we wait,

and wait,

and wait some more to cut this BEAUTY open... to see what is inside... to cook it and reap the benefits of this beauty... why do we do this? why do we wait until the bottom begins to rot out onto our table? my feeling is that we don't know what to do with it... yes? no? what do you think? it's a metaphor for so many things in life... so beautiful = don't want to touch it. it looks unmanageable, scary, gorgeous, mysterious.....put it in the oven and that baby is yours... the skin caves into itself and the lush insides are soft, kind, loving, and so good... trust me. so this week...go get a red kuri squash from mcgrath farms, a confection squash from weiser farms and if you can't make it to the farmers market they have yummy delicata, butternut and more at whole foods..

put the oven on 375, convection bake or bake, place it in whole or cut it in half on a casserole dish, massage with olive oil (get the seeds out after it's cooked, it's easier) and put it in for 35 - 45 minutes depending on it's size. check in on it every now and then..'fork it' to see if it's ready.... and done. RM TIP: do this in the morning! keep it on stove top with a pretty towel over it and let it hang there. it can wait till dinner. let me know how it feels. see you in the kitchenxxxx

beauty gathering.

2011-10-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

RM GATHERING: lunch with beauty

(MAMA AND ME FOR BABES FROM NB - 18 MONTHS)

allow me the honor to feed, nourish, support, share & connect YOU to YOUR BEAUTY in the kitchen.....

so many of our stories live in the kitchen....patiently waiting inside a wooden spoon, quietly stirring inside that broken tea cup you have been saving in the back of the cabinet, longing to be touched, seen, played with, stories that can change your life, at least for a moment, a meal, a lunch.....

welcome to the renaissance mama kitchen

we will connect to these stories inside a soup, a butternut squash, the best apple you have ever tasted:

*feeding you with locally grown, love filled food,

*empowering you with the tools & the know how,

*inspiring you to nourish this piece in YOU first and then

*to nurture your family in this gorgeous, rustic, organic way

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011

10:30 - 1:30 pm (open door policy)

$60

RM KITCHEN/MT WASHINGTON

RSVP ASAP (no later than monday/17th)

these are intimate gatherings and they fill up..

email: juleslove@mac.com

RM LOVE for the gatherings.....

"Jules' Kitchen (The Renaissance Mama) was truly an inspiration, a motivation, as well as a warm, delicious experience. I have been cooking up a storm ever since being in her kitchen! Love her!"

tracey groce, mama of harper

"When I've signed up for one of Jules' miracle gatherings, I think about it all week long. I know I will be steeped in beauty and nourished immeasurably. The table she sets, with all the Farmer's Market produce of the season, never ceases to take my breath away. And Jules herself is vibrant and totally down to earth with an incredible sense of humor. We laugh. We cry. We learn to make delicious food. We eat. And we leave full of all good things."

heidi rose robbins, mama of kate & dylan

see you in the kitchenxxxxx

fall love.

2011-10-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

this 'fall love' inspires me to make food altars all over the kitchen! the markets are full with all kinds of pears, apples, pomegranates, figs, jerusalem artichokes & SQUASH! i love me some squash... roast em', saute em', make em' in soups all day long.... make sure to try them all! they are beautiful on the table AND cut open, flesh down in a casserole dish on 375 - 400 bake for about 45 minutes depending on your oven and the size of the squash... get that dance happening. don't wait till thanksgiving! try all the different varieties: delicata, red kuri, butternut, acorn, kambocha..... you do not need to know what you are going to make... just turn on the oven! it's such a good feeling to have it in there cooking..... who knows maybe you will make a soup or just scoop it out with a spoon...it also makes a beautiful base for the baby food!

i can't believe it's the middle of october... we celebrated a new year, a 5 year and a yom kippur so far. it's a time for reflection, new & old, tuning into my purpose, what i want to bring in. connecting with that fire in my heart & letting go of what is not serving me. it's hard to go inside those deep and quiet places with the babes these days.... i love to go there. i used to live there, on the canvas, dipping inside the colors of emotion and expressing every little thing. now, it happens inside a black eyed pea soup or cutting open a pomegranate with my son, watching him take the villages of seeds a part and suck the juice out of each and every one. it's still deep, just different. see you in the kitchenxxxx

rumi.

2011-10-07T10:52:00.000-07:00

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

-- Jelaluddin Rumi,
translation by Coleman Barks

this came to me from the incredible teachers ana maria & samantha at yogala in echo park.... a cozy, love & beauty filled yoga studio in echo park. definitely check it out if you live in los angeles...

i'm here.

2011-09-07T10:33:00.001-07:00

missing you.

missing me.

missing the spatula to turn the poems over, to turn something over. and i am turned over. definitely feeling burnt on one side, on the inside. trying to feel into when i might be ready to come off the heat and cool down. hoping for a gentler day, forgiving and open. this phase, this beauty ride. i want to find the balance. i want to stop the noise, this idea that i am so late, so behind, so tardy for my dreams. as these other dreams, the ones you can't even dream about because you can't imagine them...they are the miracles, oceans and beauties. i want to stay dressed in the blessed feeling. beauty sleeps so i can write down one more word. i am trying to teach her to soothe herself. i am trying to teach me to soothe myself. she keeps her little sweet mouth open hoping for something to calm her... and if the zucchini had a mouth, it would be open, up against the door of the fridge, crying for me to make that olive oil cake. the kitchen waits for me. the words wait for me. i do what i can with green zebra tomatoes, the beginnings of acorn & kambocha, little red pears. my first frittata with frisee and figs keeps me alive. empty cake plates stand proud and almost grounded. they inspire me. i didn't want to wait one more minute to let you know, i'm still here. just holding on, so i can keep going. holding on tight to this beauty ride. i want to feel light, a souffle of myself or even a crepe might work, flat & round. oh and thin, that could be nice. i could fill me up with berries and chocolate and a squeeze of lemon. i'm here and now i'm hungry. see you in the kitchenxxxx

the process.

2011-08-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

i saw this on my sweet friend kee's blog, nativekee & it resonates so deep in the kitchen... especially when your art form is being eaten very soon after the birth of it's creation... i think these are such important words to keep in mind.. print this. put it up where you can see it, read it, be reminded of this incredible process we are so lucky to dip our hands into... the only way to get better at this work is to walk through the fire and keep burning the rice... till you get it right! as you are on your way to nourishing you, as you are on your way to nurturing them. see you in the kitchenxxxx (thanks kee!)

last miracle (august).

2011-08-08T23:35:00.000-07:00

last miracle in august....

there is something incredible that happens when women gather in the kitchen & eat....they start to feel nurtured, inspired, loved, empowered, good, great, amazing....

let's feed each other in this way!

friday, august 12

10:30 - 1:30pm

mt washington

$75

rsvp asap:

i must know if you can come by tonight (tuesday night)...

see you in the kitchenxxxx

ps... the next miracles will begin again in september!!

2011-07-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

crowns & words.

2011-07-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

i birthed beauty and the poetry inside that journey is still connecting the dots inside my hips, playing hide and seek in my joints and needs more water, more water, more water.....my body is still processing this next chapter. i might be here longer than i want to be.... i might be here after i have written and read the story many times. who knows. the heaviness that feels like me today, the pastry bags of my breasts, feeding beauty to keep her growing as i try to feed myself that other beauty.

the beauty inside rainbow chard, baby eggplants on a cake plate, the lemon basil in a ball jar on vintage cookbooks... breathing in all my bowls, the roundness feels like a safe place to land, to nap, to cry lots of tears... listening for an echo of myself, seeking my shadow, hoping to have a quick chat about the good old days... finding a swatch of myself somewhere inside this new landscape....

keeping the altar behind the sink real simple... bringing the shade down to keep it cool in there. that might be more important than all the other things.... inhaling gratitude, how blessed i am, and how heavy it still feels... exhaling trust, knowing it will pass, understanding that this is the life of a renaissance mama... wanting to do so much, yearning to water that poetry in my thigh to see what will come of it.... how will it grow once nurtured?

i want all that time back...

with my big ass wing, i pick up all my needs... one by one, combing their thin blonde hair... i look for those sweet chamomile buds & make a crown for each need, letting them know, i will be back soon.

stone fruit.

2011-07-16T16:19:00.000-07:00

loving these in EVERYTHING right now... i actually can't stop eating them! they are in my salad with golden beets & avocado, they are baked (for 15 - 20 minutes on 400 bake) then add a leaf of basil & cream, they are roasted with my chicken inside lavender, rosemary & thyme or just cut up on the board! yum!

there are two farms that have the best. one - is the arctic star from regier's farm in dinuba, ca... you can find them under the orange kiosks at the santa monica farmers market on wednesday mornings & sunday in hollywood. they are so incredible! the other excellent ones are in hollywood on sunday & pasadena on thursdays afternoons... ken lee's farm in fresno. he also has amazing plums, pluots & new fruits coming out all the time. remember to try everything you buy & make sure not to buy the fruit too soft or when you get home, it will be ready for jam. they ripen fast in the summer.

AND buy fruit (& all your food) from good people... you will know them when you see them, you will feel them... if they are kind to you, they are kind to the soil, the earth & all that this piece of gathering the best quality means... i love to ask how they treat their land & if they are close to freeways... how they answer will also tell you everything you need to know. if they are open or resistant to being asked... it's all so important to know where your food comes from. enjoy & see you in the kitchenxxxx

circle.

2011-07-15T21:46:00.004-07:00

you wanna know what is so incredible about this 'nourishing you' piece i keep feeding you?? i have to do it to myself first!!! YIKES! hardest part of the job.

with that said, i have a new & improved commitment to my physical health, full on. i want to feel light. let's start with lighter than a barge. my vessel created some people and i feel like a ship hit me in the night... ok maybe 2 ships.....alright... 3!! i am tired of not feeling good in my vessel!! (so that is the back story).

as a part of my regimen, i walk. last saturday, j had both kids and i had about a 1/2 hour before i assumed they would be home. what to do with one more 1/2 hour of freedom? (this is always the question) hmmm... there is not much i can do in that time frame to sate every single expectation to feel totally COMPLETE. i know, such a bad set up from the get go...and how many poems are waiting in that theme and in my hips? (another blog entry entirely)... i try to choose something that will make me feel GOOD... i decided to put on my sneakies and go take a walk. i was feeling so proud that i made the LEAP over the door frame to the outside world called my street. then to turn the corner.. woohoo now we are in business... left, right, left...the next thought was focus on the breath, inhale, exhale, work it. my sweet voices were cheering me on...'this was such a good idea!' 'yay me!' 'awesome to get out and move it, move it.'

then.....

i come to a place in the walk where i usually make a full circle. i look at my watch and see it's been a half hour... i'm thinking i should head home, j is probably there with the kids and if b is hungry, they all might be cursing my name! then i hear that sweet, supportive voice say 'whoa.... what are you thinking?' 'you have to do the full circle...i mean, it could really impede on your day... you have to do the full circle! right!?!? to feel complete and....' i hear the inside voice making demands with some doubt in her tone....like a little lemon rind hanging around, flimsy & really potent at the same time.

i take a big inhale, exhale & turn around to go back home....

i let a little time go by before asking 'who are you and where do you come from?' i mean....'why does it have to be this way? who says that's really true anyway, that complete thing? it's amazing that i even went on the darn walk!!'

then, the wiser voice (yep - there is more than one ;) chimed in, thank the universe! AND i realized this is how we feel in the kitchen... and in so many areas of our lives. do it to the fullest, only the best, make everything or don't do it at all... ALL or nothing...cook for 2 days on thanksgiving and that's it for the rest of the year .... right? NO!!! so not right. then we will never try anything new or do all the things we want to do until we have the time... and PS when is that?? in my life right now, there is nothing i can do completely. everything has steps, moments, a process. everybody has NEEDS. it's as though i need to ask them (my needs) to get in a single file line and to raise their hand to speak... it's deep.

we have so many expectations of 'it' before we even know what 'it' is!! for so many of us, it feels better to just do nothing than a little bit of something... the intimacy of not knowing how to do something or how & where to begin is so strong that we just don't ever go there. questioning your voices of right and wrong, circle or square, meat and potatoes goes on happening as we turn on the oven, look in the fridge, decide what will go on the plate and how we will serve it.

so after all this....

as i was walking home, i was excited to write these thoughts down to share with you and send out asap. from the corner, i could hear b crying... so i ran home to give her the breasty latte. now, a month later, i am sharing this story with you.....feels good to complete the circle. see you in the kitchenxxxx

****this cake plate is created by lisa neimeth/potter in san francisco/ love love love her stuff****

summer vibes.

2011-07-11T09:21:00.001-07:00

missing you and the magic of sharing words...

earl grey tea on my tongue to start the dance, warm in the palm & somewhere is the ground.... sewing my way through the soil, planting seedlings with a needle & some cashmere nearby... hoping to suture myself inside calm & uneventful.. like gazpacho, cucumbers & avocado.

simple, sating, warm.

this is innate in the summer vibe, if you are lucky to catch on. you can feel it in the food... chilled soups, mellow melons, nectarines, peaches, berries with arugula and....

all i feel & do is rush, rush, rush... it almost feels like an illness.... rushing here, rushing there, rushing everywhere! i mean....really? is this life? i can't seem to take enough inhales to have one exhale.. i am even rushing to find a beach house so i can stop all this rushing!

the roots of this dis-ease may be growing from the beds of overwhelm, sleepless nights & the longest list of wants, desires & needs on this side of the mississipi. i don't know, just throwing some ideas out there. are you feeling this way too? is this the mama train everybody is on? the ONLY way it (meaning life) seems to pause, take a second, inhale and exhale at the SAME time.... is in the kitchen.

i know, shocking.

hold the phone.

this season gives us the gift of an ABUNDANCE of foods to cut up and NOT cook... maybe a little luring to get you in there? blending soups, tarts, salads, soft tacos, lemon cucumbers, pink lemons, sweet corn, orange cauliflower... oh it's good. it's the part of the day, other than right now with you, that i am breathing... oh, wait! i gotta get to yoga, i'm late! see you in the kitchenxxx

miracle.

2011-07-07T22:18:00.001-07:00

gathering in this way, sharing this intimacy with food, learning where it comes from, how to buy it, what to do with it & more...being introduced to food in a new way, meeting beauty inside abundance, your innate ability to nourish YOU and your family in this way is looooong overdue.... share in this miracle that i feel so blessed to create in my kitchen... i love to feed & nurture you.. let us have this conversation over and over again... it's boiling inside each of us... how do we make it happen everyday?! feeding our families & all their needs, like lyrics, hanging in the air of our kitchens.... lets bring those words to the ground & begin a kitchen culture.. we are the shaman mamas... we are the ones who will make this happen, teaching our families how to eat, live & dream inside kale, chard & figs...

'MIRACLE' SUMMER SESSION:

FRIDAY, JULY 15

FRIDAY, JULY 22

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12

10:30 - 1:30 pm

JULES KITCHEN

MT WASHINGTON

$75 per class or all 4 classes for $275 (save some green love) *****pay ahead to reserve your wooden bowl & get the energy going***** classes are intimate & fill up fast.....i'm happy to report ;)

THOUGHTS:

share the RM miracle love.....

bring a friend!

this is a beautiful, original gift to give yourself & friends..

you give, i give! 50$ class for you!

invite the miracle into your kitchen:

gather some friends together for an event or

just to start the conversation! it's free for you!

money....

don't let the lack of funds stop you,

donate what you can

and come be with us

it always works out perfectly

cancellations....

if you can't make it, please let me know by tuesday night to reschedule if you have to cancel after i have gathered on wednesday, i will just use half of the fee so the next class will be 37$ unless you want to give more... always open to abundance (yours and mine!)

IT'S AN HONOR TO NOURISH, INSPIRE & EMPOWER YOU... SEE YOU IN THE KITCHEN...

Xxxx

RM @ bini birth.

2011-06-02T22:26:00.000-07:00

tis' rare that i cater & cook the love for more than a few... i am not very good at math and big pots that i can bathe in scare me ;) and then... there is the amazing ana markel, my sweet friend who is an incredible woman, renaissance mama, doula, birth movement inspirer and creator/owner of bini birth, a space for mamas, pregnant women, doulas, midwives, doctors, couples & anyone who wants to know anything about pregnancy, birth, love, family etc.. she is doing amazing things out of her magical loft in north hollywood; changing the ways women & society, view, experience & understand pregnancy, birth and post-partum.. bini also serves as a conceirge service for anything you need in your pregnancy and beyond... i feel honored to have her in my tribe.... i also love to feed her! on wednesday, june 1, a very special mexican midwife, naoli, was in town to teach a one day intensive & ana asked if i would create the lunch for 70 people! here is how it went....

i really loved feeding everyone there... the food was celebrated with love & gratitude. thank you to all the farmers growing the love that continues to inspire me! also - i could not have pulled this off without cheri, mclean & marrrria... and yes i have my oscar in hand. i hope this inspired you a bit...lets get that fancy pants feeling in your water, get out to the market, make something delish... and COME gather in my kitchen, i wanna see you...everything starts in the kitchen...xxxx

it's time....

2011-05-26T12:10:00.000-07:00

i am back and beauty is in FULL session!

let us

gather

inspire

empower

each other

let us get inside

this incredible piece we share

as women, mamas, nurturers of our hearth and home.

RM GATHERINGS in my kitchen for june & july:

thursday, june 9, 10 - 1 pm

thursday, june 16, 10 -1 pm

friday, july 1, 10 - 1 pm

friday, july 15, 10 - 1 pm

75$ per class**

how it works: rsvp now, send your check today & save your spot. please specify which gatherings you are signing up for.

these are intimate groups, they fill up fast, so i need your 'green' rsvp in order to save your wooden bowl...

**RM policy**

-don't allow the $ to stop you from coming, gathering, being a part of the love.... pay in full if you can, pay what you can otherwise

-if you can't make it, please tell me as early as you can OR by 9 am wednesday morning (the day before class) then you can come to the next class with your payment

-if you cancel after that time, i will have bought the food for your wooden bowl.... so i will only charge what the food costs and your next class you pay half again for food

-email me for where to send etc...

looking so forward to seeing you, continuing this kitchen conversation of nourishing your bodies & inspiring your bellies!! see you in the kitchenxxxx

OH! and ....please invite friends, send this to those you think would love it, give them this gift!!

blood oranges & rm gatherings.

2011-05-10T21:53:00.001-07:00

i am inside a deep crush on blood oranges... they are so incredibly fancy in their simplicity. red gorgeousness. i wish i could wear them around my neck like a mala of red suns or citrus compasses to fancy land (i told you i have a crush)...they are definitely the 'prada suit' of the citrus family.... classic with a side of 'very casual regal' & a cup of fancy... whether you slice it in an RM water with basil (in a glass pitcher) or squeeze it for a dressing, on fish or any other yummy action.. it always fits in. no matter what the occasion, it always looks good on your resume. you can never go wrong with this kind of sun in your belly.

speaking of sun in my belly....are you feeling it?! now that beauty is out of my belly and showing me all kinds of new love.... i am returning to the amazing RM gatherings in my kitchen with the first one starting on june 9. it's a thursday at 10 - 1pm. the classes are in mt washington. if you are new to the blog, welcome and thanks for coming by! the gatherings are beautiful mornings in my kitchen where i nurture you in all ways beauty, food, connection & inspiration... they are intimate gatherings of women who bring such magic to the table. my goal is to empower, support & love your way into the kitchen..then you can nourish yourself & your family in this same way. for more information & to rsvp for the class, email me through the blog or at juleslove@mac.com. see you in the kitchenxxxx

we are everything.

2011-05-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

is mothers day a set up or what? let's see how much i am appreciated in this house? does my partner see me and how much i do? lets schedule all the praise & accolades for one day and see what happens.... i think it is a total set up for everyone involved... and let's just call a spade, a spade... it's only ONE day!?!? that's crazy pants. i am not waiting till next may to feel good about my mamahood, have a brunch, go get a pedicure & be appreciated etc... this year i did three things different... first, i took it upon myself to get some self-care in.. i used a gift certificate to get a desperately needed facial & pedicure as my heels or hooves (more accurately described) were beginning to make holes in the sheets, i asked my husband to cook dinner and i wrote my mother an email of meaning instead of signing a quick card that i buy and send.... it felt good on many levels. i took care of me instead of waiting to be cared for in a way i need to be... which is like bowling a strike in the dark.

i don't believe in one day for mothers.

i do believe mothers day can be everyday in the kitchen...especially when you feel confident, empowered and inspired by what you create to nourish yourself and your family. how to do this? what does this even mean? well... it is an individual journey & so specifically delicate in it's nature from how we create the food we gather, where we gather it from, how the food is received by our family, our fears & loves in cooking, our desires & resentments in our lives, all of it goes into the food... it's so amazing to just bring up the topic of food & cooking with a group of women or one woman & see how much emotion can fill a room in a minute... we are layered like a cake when it comes to this kitchen stuff... it's deep & there is a reason for it.

we are everything when it comes to our family and food. we decide where & what to buy, where & how we eat whether we are at the counter or the table together, we decide what we eat on whether it be the good china or paper/plastic, the list goes on and we haven't even cooked anything yet!! we are creating the most basic, primal, intimate pieces & memories about eating and food for our children... we are the kitchen culture in our home. it's like a gene we all share... a blood vessel...a heart... we either replicate what we came from or we create a new cellular structure all together....

i have memories of pavarotti and the gap band... ziti & tomato sauce... cnn with larry king some nights... and kentucky fried chicken on the boat with steely dan playing in the background... i remember our glass table...how much noise it would make if a spoon or juice glass fell on it... i remember my mom in the kitchen....

i know we can do this together... we can support and inspire each other to create what we want inside the kitchen, inside our families and our bodies... help our kids to know incredible food, beauty inside and out, understanding that there is not just one day for the good set of silver, for gifts, blessings & praise... it's everyday, you just have to make it so. i am here to help. see you in the kitchenxxxx

PS: the next RM gathering is thursday, june 9. lets get in the kitchen again!

for japan with love.

2011-03-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

so deep what is happening... mama earth is talking to us in a language that will get our attention... i want to wrap my entire spirit around the people of japan... and all of us fear fighters here, all of us mamas wanting to start family bed in the house so everyone can stay together.... 'just in case' becomes a mantra when this kind of tragedy strikes... what would we do, when will it happen, and on and on.... your mind can really go on a whirlwind... trying to calm the mind, allow the body to feel & send light and love to japanxxxx

banana bread.

2011-03-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

have you noticed the trend in banana bread lately? i feel like it's everywhere! with the inspiration of 3 pretty ripe bananas on the table, i had to do something. i could not allow them to turn into the brown mush they are destined to become...and yes, the feeling to make something came from the crazy urge to not let them die that way. i am not an every week buyer of the banana because of the expensive flight they have to take to make it to my glendale whole foods... some weeks are more popular for a banana snack then others in our house. i tend to buy them more often in the hotter months because of smoothies and fun, cold things like that...

what's great about banana bread is.... you can put all sorts of things in it and make it your own, it's always a fan of the hot tea and it lasts for a week or so in a sealed something. i love having a sweet like this in the house so when a friend comes over you can share some yum with her because you just happen to have some to share.

banana bread (somewhat taken from smitten kitchen)*

3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed

1/3 cup melted salted butter

3/4 to 1 cup light brown sugar (depending on the level of sweetness you prefer, I always use the smaller amount)

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 cup of flour

add any chips, nuts etc...

Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and bourbon, then the spices. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

*there is a slight possibility i went nuts (& chips) with the extra add ins... not sure if i loved all of it together.. just plain is also quite divine*

see you in the kitchenxxxx

cube it.

2011-03-02T20:46:00.000-08:00

cube yams, keep the skins.

butternut, no more staring.

a teaspoon of each spice & let the oil flow a bit...

a wide rimmed bowl for freedom & some sage.....

mix, dance, work it all together....

roast on 400 or 415, for 20 or so minutes, check in with a fork and enjoy...

i am swimming inside days that are almost pasted together.... each day, like kids art left in the rain, magical moments on paper, one on top of another, stuck together. impossible to separate the pieces or the days... impossible to clarify what is happening in each 8 x 10 & in 24, 48, 72 hours... and what is stuck together makes a new kind of art, kinda like paper mache days: nebulous, foggy, surreal, exhausted... and then there are moments of bright color, surprise hours of sleep that catch me deep & off gaurd... a smile, the cutest fist in the air, a milky tongue ...

there is nothing like roasting vegetables...it's incredibly easy and satisfying. cubing the veggies is another story... you say: 'i have no time to make those cubes?' yeah... i get it. i think when it comes to time, it's all about what we choose to do with the little, precious amounts that we have...

on this day, beauty napped and i had yams that were calling me into the kitchen... oh and a butternut that would not stop staring at me from the dining room table... she was so incredibly bored sitting on the table (for a few weeks) and i was tired of the looks.... so i peeled her, scooped out her seeds and cut/diced her into cubes... the peeler for this job is here.

i keep the skin on the yams because it lends a slight crunch and yummy taste to the finished product. and yes, there was some care in this prep....

i needed to be in the kitchen, simple happenings with a bread knife that took about 15 minutes.

it felt good for hours. i guess that's where i live... if it takes a little more time (i am not making a phyllo dough folks) and will nourish me: sign me up.

it's rustic, easy & almost had a self soothing affect.

it always feels good when food is made, warm under a beautiful towel you love, sitting on the stove top like a gift, as though someone came over and made you food... that is the feeling i am talking about... loving yourself through cubes and an extra ten minutes...

try it.

see you in the kitchenxxxRM

romanesco.

2011-03-01T10:33:00.000-08:00

what beauty! the creative force of our amazing earth, the perfection of numbers, spirals, a color that holds your hope for spring, licking your lips for something light, maybe clarity (dare i say it) and a name that feels like italy...romanesco.

i want to hang these all over the the ceiling like fancy chandeliers, i want to wear them like a bling bling necklace around my neck, i want to say: "move over artichoke there is a new friend in town"......

if you get a chance, stop by weiser farms at the sunday hfm or wednesday sm market and pick up one of these gorgeous art pieces. adorn your table with it, roast it, try something new...

you can roast these on 400, cut into pieces (florets) or whole, casserole dish or anything oven friendly, pour some olive oil in and around, 20 - 30 minutes...

ps: this is also how my breasts are feeling these days...getting closer to seeing you in the kitchen.... i hope you are tooxxxRM

beauty cleopatra fischer.

2011-02-14T14:56:00.000-08:00

there was this day....

and then a beauty was born....

beauty cleopatra fischer born january 13, 2011...

9 pounds and 3 ounces...

21 and something inches...

on a thursday...

i like thursdays.

birthing beauty,

redefining beauty,

understanding beauty

& being inspired by beauty

in a whole new way...

starting now.

meeting her brother ocean & cousin lily...

and now.... (one month later)

we are doing a lot of this... a lot.

and some of this... mainly when the sun is up ;)

this renaissance mama is

tired

missing my freedom

loving this full moon face

deepening my surrender

trying to keep the bad thoughts in the corner

blessed for strength

praying for more patience

wanting to write more

wanting

loving

xxxx

happy new year.....

2010-12-31T08:02:00.000-08:00

here is a toast to bringing in all YOUR beauty this 2011!!

letting go of all the other things...

and allowing only beauty...

as it can save the world....

giving, loving, receiving, understanding,

stretching, growing, trusting, listening,

riding the waves of this beauty....

thank you so much for supporting RM &

my journey to inspire & empower BEAUTY

into your worlds, your kitchens, your hearts...

see you on the other side.... love & BEAUTY! xxx

persimmon bread.

2010-12-21T08:52:00.000-08:00

first, i must acknowdledge the deep blog guilt i have been wrestling with.... i am 38 weeks pregnant & to get to this blog is a luxury, to sit here and make it happen is like baking a cake which can be really easy depending on the cake OR it can be next to impossible which is really what it has been! i had to get that out of the way to share this most amazing persimmon bread yumminess....

if you are at any of the markets or whole foods... you can find extremely ripe hachiya persimmons. that is what this breads pulp is made of... the fuyu's are harder and very crispy... (in a post below).. they are also amazing just cut, peel the skin (if you want.. you can eat the skin) and eat.. no cooking necessary... it's like the pumpkin fruit of the fall.

here is the recipe (created a hybrid of the james beard/david leibovitz recipes)

3 1/2 cups sifted flour (bob's red mill organic)

1 1/2 tsp. salt (coarse kosher)

2 tsp baking soda (bob's red mill/aluminum free)

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 - 2 1/2 cups sugar (organic cane)/ more sugar makes the bread moist

1 cup melted, room temp, unsalted butter

4 large eggs, room temp, lightly beaten

2 cups persimmon puree (you can put it in cuisineart to break up strands if you want... no need to)

1 - 2 cups toasted/chopped/walnuts or pecans

1 cup semi sweet ghiradelli chocolate chips

you can use (2) 9" loaf pans or (1) 9" and 3 little ones or muffin tins... i tend to try different

shapes out b/c i like to give the bread away as gifties and seeing how many ways it can happen.

*butter the 2 loaf pans, line with parchement paper & dust with flour

*preheat oven to 350

*sift first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl

*make well in the center (you can also do this in your kitchen aid)

*stir in butter, eggs, persimmon pulp

*then nuts & chips

*bake 1 hour or so....

enjoy every morsel, it's so good. see you in the kitchenxxx

gratitude.

2010-11-24T19:54:00.000-08:00

stories inside the womb

of a wooden spoon.

the round, wide edges of my ancestory

that i continue to discover.

the warm healing in the kitchen,

over and over and over again,

showing me the way.

discovering a specific lingering that is in the

crack of the cuisineart, the scent of basil meyers soap.

whatever your story, the poetry, the song... they live in your

kitchen... maybe this is the time you come out to greet them...

lets thanks & give everyday....

lets roast, saute, baste & play everyday...

let's connect with this excited child that lives in the aroma

of a sweet potato souffle... connected to this nourishing piece...

lets feed her and nurture him everyday....

i am so deeply grateful to all the spoons, the patient creators of all the round things, the wide bowls, the stories inside the wood, the sterling silver, the cobalt, the gold, the kitchen connection, the planet for holding us,the circle, my family, the ocean, the beauty, the process of growing, caring, nourishing and nurturing everything...

feeding you and feeding me. xxx

RM gatherings...

2010-10-21T22:34:00.001-07:00

hi mamas!

the next RM gathering is coming up!

Thursday, October 28, 10 - 1pm & there are a few spots left...

if you have not been to the gathering and if it's calling you, please make this time for YOU... allow me the honor to feed, sate & nourish you in this way... the fall comes with such an incredible array of aromas, colors and simple, rustic ways to have them cooking in your home... come to my table, take in the beauty & get inspired.

here is the revised schedule for the RM gatherings:

Thursday, November 11, 10 - 1

Thusday, December 2, 10 - 1

$75, donation

mt. washington

you can rsvp and send in your offering for any of these dates that fits your schedule.

i will let you know if i add any new ones and until then...catch one before i have to take a break with beauty arriving!!

**here is another post describing the classes in more detail: go here**

see you in the kitchenXXX

persimmon, my old friend.

2010-10-20T13:54:00.001-07:00

sunday was a rainy day at the market here in los angeles...it was on the peek-a-boo channel. rain, drizzle, stop and then do it again...it was so beautiful, the dance of it, seeing everyone inside the dance weathering the slight storm of something unusual, the beginnings of fall tapping on the windshield and gently asking if it can nourish us and the earth.

and then.... there was a new sighting. it's like seeing a really good, old friend... i want to run towards the stand and hug them all, asking how it's been and how long they are staying. it's as though i saw they were coming on facebook but then i forgot and maybe i didn't know exactly when they were going to arrive... so i am still a little surprised like christmas morning... it's the best feeling.

it's not just my mind, my whole body, every cell aligns to it... calling out PERSIMMONS!! that thick orange flesh, crispy & tender at the same time, talking to my tongue about fall and what we can do this time around. it's such a beautiful feeling... reconnecting this way to old friends, excited to wake up in the morning, chat more about their journey... we start out just cutting, peeling & checking each other out again after such a long time. i have a feeling there might be a salad or cake in the future though...see you in the kitchenxxx

first hour.

2010-10-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

that hour, I was most myself. I had shrugged

my mother slowly off, I lay there

taking my first breaths, as if

the air of the room was blowing me

like a bubble. All I had to do

was go out along the line of my gaze and back,

out and back, on gravity's silk, the

pressure of the air a caress, smelling on my

self her creamy blood. The air

was softly touching my skin and tongue,

entering me and drawing forth the little

sighs I did not know as mine.

I was not afraid. I lay in the quiet

and looked, and did the wordless thought,

my mind was getting it's oxygen

direct, the rich mix by mouth.

I hated no one. I gazed and gazed,

and everything was interesting, I was

free, not yet in love, I did not

belong to anyone, I had drunk

no milk, yet -no one had

my heart. I was not very human. I did not

know there was anyone else. I lay

like a god, for an hour, then they came for me,

and took me to my mother.

Sharon Olds (from 'The Unswept Room')

to stop, read something amazing & let it sit somewhere inside can be the best gift. i love this poem and this is how it feels, sometimes, when you are birthing a new part of you... see you in the kitchenxxx

WORKSHOP.

2010-10-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

hello! i miss you mamas... how is it going in your kitchens?! i have been the busiest bee birthing women who are INSPIRED & EMPOWERED in their kitchens... working the RM magic & creating kitchens that serve us busy mamas & get us COOKING! it's amazing what happens when your belly grows.... so does your community!

with that said... i am finally creating a workshop for women who are ready to discover their story in the kitchen, or at best beginning the RM conversation of nourishing ourselves, stirring up the fire in our bellies, eating FOOD that sates us and more... here is all the info:

renaissance mamas: workshop for all the beautiful ladies

inspiring, empowering & nourishing YOU in the kitchen

are you single, taken, married? working hard for the money?

manifesting the idea of family? babes, pregnant, not sure?

whatever your story, everything happens in the kitchen.

it's where we heal, manifest, create, protect, nurture, nourish, sate, love, fight & bring it on. it's where our fire lives, no matter what size the match. it's where we our introduced to our beauty, cook up our power, heal our wounds in the most vital, rustic & simple ways... to nourish ourselves & our family.

what we will be cooking up in this workshop:

*your story/your kitchen: discovering who you are in this place,

where your fire is, how you want to create a kitchen culture in your home

*creating a kitchen that serves & inspires you (BEAUTY)

*RM basics in the pantry, food & tools

*empowerment in the kitchen, what this means & looks like

*FOOD! seasons, eating, beauty, connection

*includes a rustic, fall meal, lots of food & gifts to nourish you throughout the day

and so much more..

it's hard to explain the nurturing magic that happens in these gatherings...

if you feel called to this, come!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2010

10 - 2/3ish pm

los feliz or mt washington kitchen

$125, 4/5 hours + a rustic, beautiful lunch with gifts

rsvp asap with an email & send your offering via pay pal or check

**you can also give this as a gift or pass it on to those you think would love it**

praying.

2010-10-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

praying

it doesn't have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try

to make them elaborate, this isn't

a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.

mary oliver

soaking beans overnight gives me this moment,

this steeping in gratitude that holds an inexplainable self-caring,

a nourishing, it's something that is taking priority over the noise

& delicately interrupts, in the most gentle way, my life.

it is a type of praying for me.

it also makes a really good soup.

see you in the kitchenxxx

from the hip.

2010-10-03T21:23:00.000-07:00

here is a little photo story shot from my hip at the farmers market on wednesday in santa monica. we are truly in a food transition time... stone fruit has a few more weeks, tomatoes are abundant, asian pears are coming to the forefront, so many varieties of apples, incredibly crisp and good.... grapes are starting to show their sweet selves & squashes are beginning to round us out.... i wanted to share a little moment of the season to inspire you to get to your farmers market & see what is happening in your neck of the woods... as we come into october, there will be more roasting & soup creating to share... see you in the kitchenxxx

pear cake.

2010-10-01T23:16:00.001-07:00

side

down..

boy you turn me...

inside

out..

and

round & round.

i guess i am into singing through my writing these days... this cake makes you sing too! we are sloooooowly coming into fall and PEARS are happening! local & such a beautiful variety as well... these are bartletts from the hollywood market.. each one seems to tell a story... pears are beautiful in that way.

this recipe is so simple...

that is why we love it. it's really good too.

(from fran warde's eat drink live)

3 pears, peeled/halved/ sliced thin/however you want to do it

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup + 2 tbs. cane sugar

3 eggs

1 cup + 2 tbs. flour

3 tbs. milk

butter & line an 8" or 9" cake pan with parchment or wax paper

arrange pear halves over bottom any which way you would like

use an electric beater or wooden spoon (i use my kitchen aid),

cream the butter & sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy

beat in eggs, adding one at a time & mixing well after each addition

add flour, gently fold in, then stir in milk ( i was still using my kitchen aid at this point but on low)

spoon cake batter over pears & smooth out the surface

cook in preheated oven at 350 for about 45 minutes.. until surface is firm & the cake has come away from the sides of the pan. remove from oven and let cool... then turn onto a serving plate... can add confestioners sugar to top if you would like .. i don't think you need it. let me know how it goes...see you in the kitchenxxx

making room for beauty.

2010-09-29T21:58:00.000-07:00

i have not been one to put this on a newswire and yet i do believe you should know what else is cooking in the RM kitchen... it's not just soup if you know what i mean....due in the new year to this renaissance mama... see you in the kitchenxxx

photos taken by www.ifmphoto.com.. check her out.. her work, her story telling, her awesomeness is just the beginning to her & her talents... xxx

beet it.

2010-09-21T20:34:00.001-07:00

you gotta run, you gotta do what you can......it sounded right for now. i can't tell you how deeply in love i am with this soup, this cocktail, this side note of genius that has taken over my idea of what the color fuschia was... it's got a whole new ring to it. so easy to make & store & drink & serve.... you got to try this and tell me what happens. please don't spill it... then it will have another story entirely....

first - roast the beets.. golden, red, candy stripe... the red have the most beet sugar, they are the sweetest... cut the beets in half, place in baking dish (flesh down, skin up is preferable), massage with olive oil and love... on 400 roast for 40 minutes. you can keep skins on as they come off so easy once cooked (no struggles in the RM kitchen)... then in a soup pot... start with a chopped up yellow onion, a vegan bullion (repunzel is my favorite with sea salt), earth balance or a little butter (not too much b/c the beets are coming in with oil from before),the beets, 2 cups water or so, maybe a garlic clove if you want....let it all hang out on medium on the stove top. steep together... cook... be & after about 45 minutes let cool...

blend when cooled... add cream to taste... could be 1/4 - 1/2 cup... then the best part.. taste it!!! and garnish with a myriad of beautiful things... a dollop of creme fraiche, lavender goat cheese, pine nuts, pistachio nuts, edible flowers and the list goes on... so beet it. i mean really.. how beautiful is this soup? see you in the kitchenxxx

fall into the RM kitchen.

2010-09-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

hi beauty mamas.... i have decided to ground into this beginning of fall with a schedule for the magical gatherings that are happening in my kitchen on thursdays. it's good to have a schedule and since i know all of you do, i thought i would get on board and do it too.

what is this gathering in my kitchen? a friend says it best: "you can't explain it, you have to experience it." i agree. if you feel drawn to the beauty here and have the courage, the surrender, the desire to be nourished in this way: please come.

FALL into the RM kitchen....

september 16 & 30

october 14 & 28

november 11 & 18

thursdays

10 - 1ish pm

$75 donation

send check/pay pal to hold spot

(1 - 2 weeks in advance)

allow me the honor to feed you, making room for the beauty & inspiring the pieces to come back together...whether it's connecting to the disconnection or just continuing to sew these kitchen pieces together for you and your family....all our swatches of resistence, fear, shame, love, motherhood, broccoli, pasta... whatever your story: bring it. bring it to my kitchenxxx

sunday, sunday, sunday.

2010-09-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

this sunday, i am creating a simple rustic food story for the MA YOGA opening happening at the bini birth loft (which is incredible and amazing in it's own right.. check it out) in north hollywood right off magnolia & cahuenga... jessica jennings (owner & yogi mama) has created a place to nourish your mama bodies with yoga in your pregnancy & beyond... i will be starting a little RM conversation at 3 - 3:30 pm... there are a lot of amazing people coming together to create a beautifully grounded & soul sating event... please come for YOU. see you in the kitchenxxx and yes - there is one there!!

here is the info:

Los Angeles is going to have a new yoga home for pregnant women and new moms! Please join me and other members of our LA yoga and birth support communities for a FREE Opening Meditation & Bash, and help us celebrate the birth of the MA YOGA studio for Pregnancy, Motherhood & Beyond.

RSVP now to sign up for complimentary mini-sessions with amazing practitioners who focus on women's wellness. Spaces will fill up so let us know and we'll write you in.

You don’t have to be pregnant to come! We welcome anyone who supports us and our intention to create a comfortable place where women can enjoy their journey into motherhood with Anusara yoga and much more, including birth prep classes, access to an amazing support system and a kitchen and couches where people can eat and chat before and after classes.

1-1:30 Opening Meditation with Jessica Jennings

1:30-5:00 Organic, delicious food provided with love by jules blaine davis/renaissance mamas

www.renaissancemamas.com

2:00-5:00 FREE mini-sessions with practitioners of:
THAI YOGA MASSAGE: Erica Lee, LMT, Melt Therapy
ACUPUNCTURE: Elizabeth Bachner, LM, CPM, L.Ac.
CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY: Deborah Gleisner, ND, Naturopathic Doctor/Certified Midwife
PRENATAL/POSTNATAL/THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE: Sara Pereira. LMT
CHINESE MEDICAL CONSULTATION: Abigail Morgan, L.Ac.
BREASTFEEDING INFO & CONSULTATION: Roza Baghdassarian, RN
YOGA THERAPEUTICS: Jessica Jennings, MS, Certified Anusara Yoga Instructor

3:00-3:30 Empower Yourself in the Kitchen Workshop: Jules Blaine Davis

5:00-5:30 Playful Anusara yoga practice

Please go to www.MaYoga.com for directions and more details about each practitioner, info and resources for pregnant women and new moms, our class schedule, photos and our birth story.

MA YOGA for Pregnancy, Motherhood & Beyond

Bini Birth Loft Space

5355 Cartwright Ave., Unit 313

North Hollywood, CA 91601

zucchini muffins.

2010-09-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

there are some secrets you have to share and this one is on that list... this recipe is SO incredibly moist and lush that you must make it at some point soon... and how much zucchini do you have in the fridge or the garden right now? so much is usually happening around this time. i was like paparazzi with the muffins... couldn't stop telling you the story of the cozy muffin in the pink striped paper... nothing much to tell with an ending like that. right? see you in the kitchenxxx

zucchini muffins (via smitten kitchen)

(yield: 2 loaves or approximately 24 muffins)

3 eggs
1 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or chocolate chips or a combination there of (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans, liberally. (See those pictures of the cakesinside their non-stick pans? Yup, they’re pretty much hanging out in there for the time being.) Alternately, line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, chocolate chips and/or dried fruit, if using.

Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Muffins will bake far more quickly, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

noodle kugel.

2010-09-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

this is one of my favorite things to make during this holiday as it reflects how simple something sweet can be...bring it! it also is fun to make with and for the little lovies... i feel like i am on repeat the last few days with this one statment... (maybe it is becoming my mantra) 'you do not have to be jewish or to even celebrate the holidays' to make this dish!! you and your family will love it. you can tone it down as much as you want on the sugar as there is also butter and all sorts of things to make it rich and delish...

noodle kugel (via smitten kitchen)

1 pound wide egg noodles
8 eggs
1 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
2 pounds full-fat cottage cheese, creamed or large curd
1 1/2 - 2 sticks (1 cup or 8 ounces) melted unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Parboil the noodles (five to seven minutes). In a very large bowl beat eggs until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, then the cottage cheese, butter and vanilla. Stir in the drained noodles. Pour into a 9×13-inch pan. Bake for 1 - 1 1/2 hours (depending on your oven), or until kugel is set

l'shanah tovah (happy new year).

2010-09-08T21:51:00.000-07:00

it was just us tonight, the erev of rosh hashanah and there was no way to get to temple... instead we drew round challahs with crayons on paper & wrote out our initial lists of what we want to bring in for this new year... ocean's list included kugel, a tent & his friends (not in that order)... it's a beautiful rite to stop & reflect on what you want to bring into this year and what you want to acknowledge and let go of from the last year..... here is what tonight felt like over here at our house. see you in the kitchen and may you have the sweetest, healthiest & abundant new yearxxx

tradition.

2010-09-08T00:32:00.000-07:00

creating & sharing tradition with ocean is the most delicious time for me during the holidays... with the jewish new year reflecting upon us tonight and for the next few days... i am given the best gift: this incredible opportunity to recreate what it all means each year and now with my kin by my side... piece by piece, apple in the honey, pomegranate seeds and all the blessings... everything can be ritual, alive, a scent map to something deep & meaningful inside us... another moment to steep in letting go, bringing in, manifesting & watering the soil of what we are loving & growing ... and what we are ready to say 'don't let the door hit you on the way out!'....

one of these traditions is going to my favorite bakery on the west side... beverlywood bakery. today, i took ocean with me and we picked out a round challah (representing the circle of the year, may it be round, full & sate us) and a pound of mixed cookies in the PINK box... they really have the best cookies ever... and that pink box.... it feels like home with that up on the toaster or near the bread basket.....they are those cookies you would get as a kid at the bakery with a clear piece of bleached wax paper... absolutely old school... i have no idea what is in there and i am ok with it because it's about the journey, the gathering has meaning, the tradition that is so worth the beauty inside of it...

you do not have to be jewish to dip an apple in some honey & bring in the sweetest new year... it feels like a new time as fall comes in, the kids start school, it is a beginning, the solstice... call it what you want and may it be the sweetest for all of us.. see you in the kitchenxxx

summer pesto party.

2010-08-31T23:13:00.001-07:00

tonight, on the drive home, all i could think was green beans... maybe a quick, hot saute/steam of walnut & olive oil.... ocean loves them, it's fast, it works... but i had no idea what else.. then when i got home, i saw the spaghetti, the lima beans i bought at the market on sunday from mcgrath farms and i just started making everything because it was the hour i tell you mamas NEVER to cook...it was dinner time!

and it was going to be just a plain beans and pasta mixture... it wasn't sating me.... then i thought: pesto! so i looked up a really EASY pesto recipe and had it done in a matter of seconds... i couldn't believe how easy and fast this little party became... i had the basics (which is the essential piece to all of this/RM pantry)... basil, pinenuts, olive oil, garlic, salt & parmesan cheese..... mix everything together in a BIG bowl and wallah... it was so good! ocean couldn't keep his sweet hands outta there!

OH! and i would use capellini next time (thinner is better for this i think)... or some other pasta....experiment and let me know what happens... see you in the kitchenxxx

PESTO (alice waters)

1 cup loose leaves basil

1/4 cup parmesan grated (if you have shredded put it in the cuisineart/just make sure you put more in)

1/4 cup pinenuts

1/2 - 1 clove garlic depending on what you love

1/2 cup oilve oil (to taste)

salt (to taste)

i put all of this in the cuisinart.... mix it up and done. this made enough for 4 - 6 people...xxx

prayer poem.

2010-08-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

"whether or not

you have ever dared to be happy

whether or not

you have ever dared to pray"

mary oliver

praying with my wrist

these words

this ink

praying to the morning

that it made it here

prayer is thank you

praying is breathing a lot

of the day &

there are so many sounds

of a prayer

it can be silent or

it can be the whisk

hitting the side of the bowl

like it means business

and this thing is going to come out whipped

there is so much to learn

when we get quiet

like this

we make room for the prayers

that want to come in

i want everyone to know

their own story -

begin sharing them

with a wooden spoon

telling the tales of those bowls in the hutch

stirring corn, leeks,

salted butter

creating a home

framed in an aroma of protection

a scent shield

believing in this creating

what goes in our bellies

makes us shine

jbdxxx

abundance.

2010-08-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

there is nothing like a lot of FOOD to get me in the mood for abundance.... and there is so much in our lives, our times, our nation that connects us to lack, fear of more lack, void and hardly making it through the week whatever your situation.... here is the answer to that energy drainer: big bowls of FOOD!!!

bowls YOU LOVE... and lots of oranges, lemons, limes... you can juice all of these...zebra tomatoes.. you can make sauce or gazpacho... don't be afraid to have A LOT.. you know you want it.. why not do it? food can replace that fancy flower arrangement.... here is a tip: usually the more you buy at the market of one thing, say oranges, tomatoes, lemons, avocadoes... the farmers will give you the love... so happy you are buying so much..

you can also hit em' with a 'i love your 'fill in the blanks' and i send everyone here to get these... can you give me some love if i buy a lot of them?' ... whoa! don't get all shy shy... connect to that woman inside...yes.. her.. you know her.. the one that loves the beauty of abundance.... i know she's in there... listen.. they want to give you their food! so let them by asking for a little deal... it never hurts to ask... start with one bowl... and go from there. welcome to your abundant renaissance mama self... see you in the kitchenxxx

first stop: newport beach.

2010-08-25T23:46:00.000-07:00

last friday, i had the pleasure to be invited to the cozy kitchen of fellow renaissance mama, kim powell, who inspires her friends and family because she believes in the nurturing piece of being connected to food in an intimate way... she travels up to the RM thursday gatherings to be fed this conversation of nourishment when she can get away from her 3 beautiful babes, 2 horses & 3 chickens... and now i was on my way down to her kitchen to empower and inspire a few of her mama friends and start the renaissance mama conversation a buzzing in the OC (which really fed me too!) here are some photos elizabeth took at the gathering... it was intimate, fun & it tasted so good that i had to share... see you in the kitchenxxx

*awesome photos by elizabeth boocks*

what's it gonna take?

2010-08-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

this is my question for the day: what is it going to take to make the shift from this....

to this....

three or more times a day we think about eating, feeding, filling, we make a decision about food.... buying it, eating it, where are we getting it, how are we going to eat it and for most of us we think about it at the time the hunger strikes... i call this the witching hour: so dangerous and absolutely preventable! we have to start thinking about food as something that FLOWS like air, money, kindness & FOOD!

it just keeps going... we eat, we have more food around, we eat, we make food, we gather food, we eat again.... if we think about it as something that starts and stops....we are almost annoyed that it's back again..."what a pain! we just ate!" and then with our babes, layers of emotion & these hidden, (sometimes) secretive expecations on ourselves it becomes a nightmare... "take out!"

and then it starts again tomorrow...

guess what? we have to eat. we have these incredible bodies that do amazing things for us: make babies, walk, run, breathe and fight etc... and if we eat to fill, grab, just get it done, frustrated, shame, annoyed etc.. then we will not only exude that but we are living deep inside of it... it's in our cells, it's in our fat, it's in everything we create... our babes, our families, our homes, our kitchens....

how about this idea.. if it's gorgeous, fresh, not too far away & easy... how about you say we begin to date it? lets go on a date with our food... then pretty quickly (b/c it's so fun and you are feeling so loved) we go steady and move in together. no more texting or dating food as though it's something out there in the universe that just happens whenever it does.... we actually think about a commitment, a ceremony with food, a ritual.... it becomes a part of your fabric, the one you create for YOU and your family (with support, inspiration & know how), it becomes your life....who you are, what you do, you begin to see it differently, create it, share it, create an intimacy with it.

this is self-care.

for you this could be facing the deepest fears, there are so many pieces to it for all of us... when do you think we can start the shift? what do you think it will take? as you go everyday, so challenged by the constant interruption of food...

i can hear you: "i have no time for this!"

we must make the time. if food makes our bodies go, stay alive and do all the other things we DO have time for.. how can we not have time for food? how can we not be spending the majority of our precious time having the food around? the best food that is...

i would love to hear your thoughts.....on the fb page or here on the blog if so inspired as i want to start these conversations....i want to hear what you think, what you want, how we can make this happen for you and those you know in this situation... i am incredibly curious about this shift... this beauty just waiting in mid air to come down and grace you with it's abundance and nourishing gifts... FOOD and you.... lets get it on.

see you in the kitchenxxx

thursday gathering.

2010-08-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

speaking of self care... if you are in los angeles and can squeeze, puncture, press, flatten out the time to be fed, to trust that your time is worthy of YOU and your need for self-care... AND you yearn to be inspired, nourished & all good feelings under the sun... come by my kitchen, this thursday at 10:30 and allow me the honor to feed you. see you soonxxx

*for more info as to where and how to rsvp just reply to this... xxx*

self care.

2010-08-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

i want to start up a little chat about self-care. it's so hard to approach this topic because it has so much riding on it... from the minute you say it, think it, dream it...it's wrapped in layers of ancestory, emotion, cells, stories & even poetry...and while everyone is nodding their heads in agreement about 1/3 of us (if that) take the leap to truly care for ourselves, to do something we yearn to do, to sate our hunger in this way.... why do you think that is? oh... wait before you get your list out... let me share what i see and hear...so we can cross out all the excuses that overlap and maybe get to something juicy.

no time

no money

no support to watch the babes (no money)

no support from my husband (doesn't see the point)

too tired to make the plan, the time, the space

too scared to leave the baby

i am sure there are more specific ones to your home & family etc.. but these are at the top of the list... and the top two battle each other out on a daily basis as they seem to hang out way too much together. AND THEN....we walk into a room where everyone is put into groups... the main theme in this room is what are you willing to give yourself? and the mamas and women are divided into groups:

what can you change in order to receive?

how comfortable do you feel receiving?

what is the cost of your sanity?

how long will you wait to care for yourself?

things like this (and please add to these if you are so inspired).....

i see so many women & mamas who are desperate for some lovin' and yet really have a problem giving it to themselves and then the ones that make the time, have the help and create the self-care piece in their lives feel guilty especially when sharing it with another friend.OY!!

can we change this?!?!?! i mean.. HELP!!! here is the deal.. of course if we all had consistent incomes, full time help, naps with our kids, budgetless budgets & more vacations... life would be a dream or would it? would we self-care even then? i am not sure.. but there is no point in WAITING for the self-care because it doesn't come with the money bag you are waiting for to drop down on the roof (believe me... i am the first one in line)....

i started a company for mamas & women who are starving for this self-care piece (we are all in it)... i saw the void in my community... i felt the poetry of shame(hate to cook, love to defrost), the internal lack (i just can't do it, too much going on), the guilt in the kitchen (broccoli and pasta anyone?), the creativity just holding itself steady in the air while we fill the mouths, just get it done, GO, GO, GO with the most messy desires to slow down but no ability to do it... no time...no money...no support....and here came renaissance mamas...

if there is anyone that understands that list more than you... it's me and i can't do this alone. renaissance mamas is not a solo journey. it includes all of us. it's a movement in the community. i put it out there, i will lead the way, i will take us from the dark into the light and i need you to join me....lets start supporting each other to make the time for you, redefining what is important to you, what sates you, fills you up with something substantial & deep...

lets connect on self-care and support each other to do it. for RM, the fire is in the kitchen.... it's where we can gather, connect, nourish and feed each other in this way.... it does not take the money bag... it will take a shift, a change in what is important, an investment in self-care....

i am open & on tour to come to your kitchen with your communities, i have a class that is donation based out of my kitchen & i am creating ways for ALL of us to have this piece... please dive in, take the leap & get on the bus with me. it's an amazing ride... changing our culture, one mama, one kitchen, one family at time... see you in the kitchenxxx

strawberry pops.

2010-08-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

what is summer without strawberry popsicles? especially ones that are SO easy made at home... i got this popsicle maker at william sonoma.. i was on a conscious & fast search for something simple, made in the USA, and not plastic... i didn't totally succeed in my mission b/c i had a certificate for WS, the desire for popsicles was incredibly high & i gave in... so here we are... and all that is important to my almost 4 year old...is that it works! this little mixture includes 2 cups strawberries, 1 cup milk and maybe some sugar to taste...blend together with love! (i told you it was fast!)

if there are some other fast ones out there.. please share! the reason why we don't need a lot is because the milk (strauss organic cream top) and strawberries (harry's berries) we gather for this are the best...they are the sweetest and creamiest... so it's not about fast in the gathering.... it's about quality when it comes to getting the best your belly deserves even with something as simple as strawberry pops. see you in the kitchenxxx

alyssa leal.

2010-08-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago.. alyssa came over with her various cameras in hand to talk about renaissance mamas...the communal conversation of mamahood, sating self in order to nurture other, creating a place to nourish our creativity in the kitchen...and getting a cuisineart! it was inspiring & fun! here is some of her story.... see you in the kitchenxxx

(and the top photo of just my teeth... ocean took that one ;) !

alyssa leal is a mama who approaches family photography (weddings, pregnancy photos, children, families, grandparents..) as an art form. "I am hoping to create images of the familiy or couples' beautiful and poignant moments..not just to capture it or document it. I use both digital and film (small, medium and on occasion, large format) in this pursuit...I don't create or stage moments, but rather I prefer to wait for the natural moments to emerge in their own loveliness.."

check her out at: www.alyssaleal.com

clarity...

2010-08-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

i spotted this book the other day at my sweet neighbor anna's house.... and anything with the words mom & finally for some reason caught my eye. then i saw it was written by ruth reichl (editor and creator of gourmet magazine and many other books).

these days, it seems almost impossible to sit down and read an entire book in a year, let alone one sitting (or laying ;) but this is a tiny book of about 120 pages.. they are really 1/2 pages and it's almost impossible to not dive in and want to finish it all in an hour or so... my desire had the best of me and i couldn't move until i finished it.

it's a story of a woman and a generation of women who were stunted, stopped, cornered between the dreams of their youth and what was 'right for women' to do at that time.... only a few got out on the other side... her mother wanted ruth to be nothing like her... repeating that sentiment her whole life... to make sure to follow her dreams, not to sacrifice for anyone or anything, to reach for the stars...

i didn't put it down and want to fly to the moon...what it did was very simple and quiet....it made me want to clarify all that i want, to simply highlight the vital parts of my dreams....

pick it up if you get a chance & see you in the kitchenxxx

magic.

2010-08-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

opening yourself up to

strawberry figs

currants

chilled soups

nourishing this piece in you

and me

it's like magic in here

grounding in

the gratitude

trees bearing fruit

trees all around

trees reaching

devotion

just allowing yourself

just giving permission

to be fed

to (maybe) learn another way

even if you have a map

compass

tools

sharing

gathering

creating

eating

digesting

this magic

*this is the incredible, inspiring work by su blackwell*

gathering.

2010-07-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

i rarely share about the amazingness happening in my kitchen on thursdays... lately, we have been having such an incredible time that i wanted you to feel it too... the intimacy that begins to rumble when women, food & beauty come together is so special... it takes real courage for us to seek this gathering and embrace our desire for it...and then the actual getting in the car to start driving towards it is where the self-care piece begins... tearing away from the normal, day to day chaos that is life right now is so hard and yet so so vital to our body, our cells, our family, the list is a long one.

on the drive, there is a specific quiet,the beginning of something about to happen.... the yearning to be together gets turned on as does your self-compass navigating towards something that is unknown, something that will feed you (really unknown to most of us)....and as the women drive to my hearth, i prepare for the story, creating the beauty & holding the space that will sate us for a few hours. this energy is so special, it's so many things. it feels like everything.

here are some swatches from the the last 2 classes... summer is an incredible time to gather because most of the work is done by the bread knife... we are mainly chopping & cutting open... not as much heat is on (except for in us). there is a lot of simple sweetness to sit & devour. please join us if you are so inspired, i will be offering classes every thursday in august... see you in the kitchenxxx

some more love...

2010-07-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

my sweet friend kaela writes for this fancy blog that comes out of every fancy area of the world... it's called babyccino kids and it's great because it's a bunch of really hip mamas writing about things they love... hot of the press she just posted the RM fig cake recipe & i wanted to share the love.. as love is always worth feeding each other. see you in the kitchenxxx

monday offering.

2010-07-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

it's time to open up your nurturing self to all who come near... are you willing to try this out with me? we are going to start offering food to people that come over to our house or already live there and see what happens... take that bread knife and open up the melon, the tomatoes, the white nectarines and just start offering food. you can also have your RM pitcher of love water nearby with glasses to accompany it... maybe limes, basil & water... or those pink lemons i will blog about soon from the beautiful laura, our avocado lady.

i want us to try this as a community. this is just a thought, the beginning, the first note of offerings.... what will you offer? what do you have in the house? will it be weird asking? and if you ask if someone is hungry... more often than not people will ask you not to bother. so... don't start there... just cut the fruits, put them on a wood board or any surface that pleases you & offer the food ready to be devoured. it's just an experiment... let me know how it goes. we must learn how to feed each other even if we have one orange in the fridge. see you in the kitchenxx

key lime pie.

2010-07-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

definitely one of the highlights of my childhood growing up in florida. a piece of key lime pie with graham cracker crust after some stone crabs dipped in warm butter... i mean that was my favorite meal as a kid. now, in my kitchen... i am making it happen.. why? because it has 4 ingredients and it's so easy! you need a day to chill it if you want to do it that way... i had a few hours and it worked great too...

and yes, i buy the arrowhead mills graham cracker crust already made action in the store because it's how i am able to do this and keep it simple & calm around these parts. all you need is some big, juicy bear or any limes (i bought these at the sm farmers market), 1 can of condensed milk, 4 large egg yolks, cold whole cream.. and that's it! what? that's crazy pants...

here is what you do: zest those limes first... zest as many as you would like (to your taste) maybe 2 - 3. then juice em'.. i think about 3 - 4 depending on the juice of the lime....you will need 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of lime juice. set it aside. in a bowl, whisk the condensed milk and the 4 egg yolks together.. then add the juice and zest... whisk well...like you mean it. then pour it into crust.. i like putting my pie on a baking sheet b/c of the heaviness, it makes it easier not to drop it or have it cave in. then put it in the middle of the oven on 350 for 15 - 17 minutes. take it out and let it cool.

then put it in the fridge as long as you can... make the whipped topping by adding the whole cream in the cuisineart or whisking it until your arm falls off.... then spatula that love on the pie as thick or thin as you like or you can dollop it at the top... enjoy! it's so good the next day too! see you in the kitchenxxx