With the lazy days of summer upon us, cravings for picnic-sized sandwiches and beach-inspired snacks invite adventurous thinking to reinvent the typical same-old recipes, transforming them to something new and fresh.

Move over Boring, Ordinary 
less-than-stellar nibbles, 
Hello everything else!

Ok, my garden is literally throwing food at me! So I've been working hard to make every kind of interesting treat, salad, stir fry, or sandwich imaginable to take advantage of this practically free food...

"I would like Indian food pleeeassse!" 5 year old Gracen Matai Meyers pleads with his mom, his blonde head bouncing up and down as he plays on the floor with his cars. Unlike typical children, who'd prefer chicken nuggets and tater tots, Gracen actually just requested Indian food. I'm shocked by his request. I’m pretty sure I didn’t even know what Indian food was when I was 5!

 “You had that for lunch yesterday. We're going to a farm today, so I’m just packing sandwiches” his mom states from the kitchen.
“I want Indian food again!.” Gracen expresses one last time before showing me his man-sized lunch pale where he can have hot food in one section and cold in the other, both maintaining their temperature at school till time for lunch. He finishes his explanation by showing me where his curry soup had been the day before. 
My brain races: Ahhh, well no wonder I had never heard of Indian food at age 5. My metal Holly Hobby lunchbox had no fancy hot/cold thermal abilities.

Lisa's trees produce so much fruit in fact, that she collects the extra bushels and barters with the local produce stand, trading lemons, oranges, figs, etc. for a variety of veggies that she doesn’t grow. And then it hit me: 
Lisa has created a life for herself, full of free food!
It’s an eye opener in a day and age where sharing within a community is not common practice unless you're on an Amish farm in Pennsylvania or in the face of a major disaster.

Underwood Farms, (website),
is unique because they allow the public to come and pick their own produce! It's not only cheaper and fresher than purchasing from a grocery store, but it also helps to cut the costs of transportation for the farm.
By picking their own fruits and vegetables, people learn about food and where it comes from. What a difference from the rows of processed boxed items  lining grocery store aisles that we "21st century folks" call... food.
As I looked around, I decided this was one of the most brilliant days I’ve had in a while! 
To bring the entire experience full circle along with the farm providing fun daily activities for the family, they also have seasonal festivals, live music and other events. 

When we got back to Lisa and Gracen's house I inquired about the expense and challenge of keeping all of her trees alive and healthy. As it turns out, Lisa acquired some of her trees for free from local festivals and city tree giveaways. She shared how the upkeep mostly included basic tasks of trimming and watering, though some years she tends to them better than others.  Her trees include lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime, avocado, passion fruit, fig, grapes, apricot, pomegranate, plum, nectarine, peach, Fuji apple, pear, cherry, tangerine, & loquat. 

It’s the latest, the hippest. It's all the rage. Trust me, if you're not already hearing the chatter, you will soon enough. And if you don’t have something edible growing yet.....
Catch up, and catch on. This is one exciting movement!

During World War 1 & 2 (and also the Great Depression) the American government encouraged people to plant a garden in their yard or on unused land to relieve the pressure of supplying food around the country. Even planting on apartment rooftops was encouraged! In 1943 20 million private gardens were producing 8 million tons of food! Victory Gardens, or sometimes referred to as Liberty Gardens, were fundamental in helping to sustain and nourish Americans during times of extreme hardship.

However, the United States didn’t invent this idea. The term "Victory Garden" comes from Richard Gardner's book (of the same title), written in the 1600’s! During that time, the British were anticipating a Spanish invasion, and Gardner's book encouraged people to grow their own food in preparation.

Today, a renewed interest in modern-day Victory Gardens has begun to surface in response to the issues Americans now face.

High food prices, a reliance on mass-produced imported food, exorbitant oil prices, obesity, health issues, and the recession are just a few of the problems that have caused Americans to revert back to "the old days" and grow their own food.

Eleanor Roosevelt planted a Victory Garden on the White house grounds; the property surrounding San Francisco’s City Hall was covered with a Victory Garden a few years back; and most recently, First Lady Michelle Obama planted a garden on the White House grounds to promote healthy, organic, low calorie, natural food.

It’s hip, it’s cheap, and it’s changing our nation 
one more time. 

So...grab a pot, or maybe even a milk jug! Don't forget the potting soil and seeds! And fill your watering can....
Because we have wicked stories coming up over the next few weeks, that will inspire creative gardening, no matter your lack of skill, space, or time. 
Take a stand against processed food and save a buck in the process! Victory Gardens are motivating our nation once again!

We're going to do this journey backwards, forwards, and upside down! I'm determined to juggle your perspective on gardening......"eewww gardening's for people who like dirt and bugs, eat bland food, and have lots of land." I say, HORSE FEATHERS! 

As I'm slicing my California grown grapefruit I can’t help but think of the people who work long hours for low wages, to pick the food we eat. Thanks to their backbreaking hard work, people like myself are able to enjoy the "fruits of their labors." 
I'm also grateful to the farmers who do their best to provide quality, hormone free, non-genetically altered..... Real Food - Against the financial odds!

In my Garden series this month, I'll be encouraging everyone to grow, try, and simply eat Real Food. And if I can pay tribute to and honor the people who feed us by simply telling their stories, then my efforts will be, in part, worthwhile.

In case you missed what local kids in LA are growing, check out the Gardens in Schools Blog.

People often assume I've been cooking all my life. Indeed I have if you count PBJ's and Kraft Mac n Cheese. 
I was raised thinking spinach was slimy off-green came a can, just add salt and vinegar to the mush, to have muscles like Popeye. The cheese of choice was a giant railroad track-shaped orange squishy substance called Velveeta. Chinese food also came in a can, which you heat and pour over crunchy fried twigs. With a douse of soy sauce, this was the one and only Chicken Chow Mein. For serious protein, simply fill a glass with very hot faucet water, dunk in a hot dog, and within moments it's ready for its bun! 
Then of course there was celery. ...

...I was positive it was celery that the character Kung Fu, played by David Carradine, picked from the ground to survive on his numerous excursions.

Grown up, my first fancy dish to bring to an Italian dinner party was Fettucini Alfredo. I have the recipe to this day, to glimpse at when I need a good laugh. The dish required "whipping cream." So I happily obliged and added Cool Whip Whipped Cream. What a revelation for my dinner mates when they inquired, having never tasted Sweet Fettucini Alfredo!

My mother and aunts were wonderful cooks, but instead of learning from them, I chose to spend my time exploring the neighborhood, missing all of the cooking tips and stumbling in the door just in time to do my job: Setting the table.

 I remember the day I first heard of a Grilled PB&J. The peanut butter and jam was warm and oozing out the sides of the bread after being grilled in a skillet. What!? There is a different, possibly BETTER way to make a PB&J?!! 
And what a  discovery that people actually MADE Tamales! The amazing tasting homemade variety takes 2-3 days to prepare, verses the little paper wrapped tamales in a can that are ready in 7 minutes!

Exploring outside the same 5 or 6 vegetables,  6 or 7 recipes,  and 3 seasonings are not only better nutritionally but celebrates Variety and Culture.

I don't consider myself an outstanding cook and I'm definitely no chef.... but I’m an explorer of anything new; adventuresome, pioneering for the unique, curious and willing to try and maybe even fail. 

Traveling is a big eye opener in life. There is so much to be tasted and experienced around the world, across the nation, or even in a different zip code. Plenty of Kung Fu excursions everywhere you look.

But, when I can't travel, I simply go on vacation in my kitchen! 

It's so beautifully arranged on the plate - you know someone's fingers have been all over it.” -Julia Child

When I first met my husband I was surprised to discover this "spicy man" had an unusual favorite dish: Nicoise Salad. It was then that I began my search for a delectable recipe to satisfy his craving. 
And who better to learn how to make a terrific Nicoise salad than Julia? To this day, it still stands as the Best Nicoise he has ever had.

Julia Child was the Queen of French cooking. When I research her recipes, I find that her techniques are solid and there is an uncommon quality to them that showcases her love and understanding of food and creativity in the kitchen; she was beyond her time and her TV show changed the world of cooking. Her overall "klutziness" in the kitchen (or perhaps she was just tipsy?) is uncommon to see, yet utterly adorable and proves to be just as entertaining as tasting her creations! 

Craving Nicoise? Click here for the recipe.

Recently, I saw this sign someone made out of old wood, and it took me deep in thought, to a moment - a story, a good deal of years back....
Seated outside a restaurant one evening enjoying dinner, I kept noticing a worn looking woman pushing grocery carts full of folded boxes. She would pass by again and again, aware of her surroundings, yet focused on her task in her own hurried world. Later, as I headed to my car, I rounded the corner to find a large group of grocery carts, neatly lined up, each stacked high with folded boxes. Out of my mouth stumbled, "Wow that's a lot of boxes." Then I noticed the woman. Her eyes peered out at me through her gray fuzzy hair. We looked at each other, her hooded coat framing her deeply lined face. Then she was back to work, not interested in me, or what I thought of her possessions...

But I couldn't take my eyes off the boxes. They were perfectly stacked in carts that were strategically placed and despite the chaos of the city that surrounded her, orderly. The unkempt woman was obviously on a deadline to set her shelter up as the sun rapidly sank below the buildings.

I realized this must be her routine - wait till evening to construct, when people were less likely to notice, then rise early to take it all down before the hustle and bustle of the city consumed her lodging; before the storeowners would shoo her away from their businesses. 

All this work for a place to retreat for one night.

My mind wandered...How does one keep track of that many boxes? Where does she hide them during the day? How quickly does she have to move before someone removes the ones left behind? What if it rains? Does she then start all over looking for new cardboard homes the next day? 

Most of us have so much in life, we don't even relate to having very little or nothing at all. 

It's easy to forget how much we're blessed with. Often annoyed over having to water, weed, & mow the lawn - forgetting the beauty and privilege of having a lawn in the first place! Frustrated over the tiny abodes we have in a crowded community; always dreaming of a bigger palace. Finally getting a job only to find ourselves complaining of the early hours, who we're working with, the pay, or the simple fact of having to work at all...

The box lady seemed to have enough for a two-story hut and she had a lot of work ahead of her. But behind her lines and woolly hair I thought I saw something gleaming out from those weary eyes. Maybe she had a few more boxes this time and would be a little warmer. Or perhaps she was simply pleased with herself, having made it to her spot with all those carts full of boxes. She almost seemed thankful for something that most people would consider to be nothing.

Nowadays, most cities have become accustomed to and almost immune to the homeless. People dart the opposite way to avoid having to pass by them; almost irritated even by the idea. Forgetting that are someone's daughter, son, cousin, student, mother, father. Human. Alive. And very much a part of the community.

Each time I notice a box collecting, cart pushing, tattered clothed person, it reminds me how easy it is to forget whats important in Life….to be grateful…... It reminds me that everyday I take another breath, it is a gift. 

Because millions of children live each day without shoes. They're exposed to injuries and infections and are rarely allowed in school without footwear.

TOMS Shoes was created when Blake Mycoskie noticed none of the children in a village he was visiting had shoes! Blake returned home and founded a shoe company that proudly matches every pair of shoes sold with a new pair to be given to a child without shoes. One for One.

We have so many shoes in our closets, most of us need bigger closets to house them! Realizing that most people don’t comprehend living without shoes, TOMS created "One Day Without Shoes" on April 10th; encouraging people to go just one day without shoes; bringing awareness to the problem.
So, tomorrow, while at work, school, lunch or play.....kick off your kickers.....spread the word! 
Create a buzz! All so kids won't have to go without.
Join people across the world and register your photo at 
One Day Without Shoes: www.onedaywithoutshoes.com