This week's letter

Here's my new favorite way to fix kale: Kale and Lentils with Tahini Sauce. It's so remarkably tasty, my son just about licked the pan! I hope you'll enjoy it too: Kale and Lentils with Tahini Sauce

Nancy in California let me know she is taking the "Plant-Powered and Thriving" online class with John and Ocean Robbins:
" ... I needed a jump start to get my eating back on the healthful and “right” path... So far I’m really enjoying the course, and there are a GREAT many wonderful resources, probably way too many than I’ll take the time for. "
I hope we'll hear more about that when you're done, Nancy!

Maybe you remember that Ellen in Texas showed us her new rain barrels a few weeks ago. Hearing about the recent floods in Texas, I asked if she was okay:
Thanks for your concern. Yes, the rain barrels are FULL and can take no more. With all this rain, I could've filled 10 million rain barrels!! LOL! Our area is soaked. Everytime it rains, it floods. But, we are very fortunate that our area has not sustained the devastating effects like some other areas of TX where people have been swept away and still missing. Those news reports just break my heart. We are safe, pets are safe and home is safe so far. And, its SUNNY today! So all in all, we are very blessed!! ... I wish I could send a pipeline filled with all this water to California! If only that were possible....

Water is an issue for so many of us now. Our state of Oregon is in a 5-year drought though we are fortunate that the Portland area is not feeling it much yet. I'm grateful to have a little time to get better at saving water. I have a new habit: I keep a pitcher in the kitchen to collect non-soapy water ----I began with the rinse water for fruits and veggies. As my awareness rises, I notice more chances to fill my pitcher ---- water left from steaming veggies, the cats' dish, sprout-rinsing water, water from houseplants. It all adds up. When the pitcher is full I take it to the side door and pour it into the buckets I'm learning to keep there, ready to use in the garden. I'm saving at least a gallon a day and sometimes two or three --- I figure I'm saving the equivalent of a 55-gallon rain barrel every month.

I wonder what strategies others of you have come up with for conserving water. I hope you'll send your ideas for the benefit of all. I expect the California contingent is getting especially good at water mindfulness!

I've been hearing from Betsy in California, our tempeh expert, and I have sad news: her husband, Gunter, died early in May. This is so hard. When Denis and I were in California a couple of years ago, we had the good fortune to be invited to lunch at Betsy and Gunter's house. I was so impressed with their warmth, their zest for life, and their homemade tempeh! Maybe I can share some of that warmth and zest with all of you ---- by way of the website for TempehSure, the incubator Gunter invented, which may be in production later this year. My purpose is not to feature the incubator (wonderful though it will be) but to invite you to scroll down to the photo of Betsy and Gunter together---- there is some writing over the photo, but you can't miss seeing the joy they had together. Scroll down a little further and you'll see them again in individual photos without the writing. Those big smiles are bound to do you good: http://tempehsure.com/

For those of us who hope to reap all the health benefits of a vegan diet, Betsy has a word of caution:
I noticed in your last newsletter that someone was talking about cancer prevention or something like that. I just want people to know that some cancers may not be prevented, like Gunter's.

We're with you, Betsy, wishing you strength and consolation. We are so glad you are part of our circle.

I'm ready for new recipes, everyone ---- hope you'll tell us what's on your table now that summer is here!

Happy cooking,
Eve