I was little when I heard my first poem, but it wasn’t until the third grade that I really remember learning about poetry. I was in a third/forth split class and our teacher made us memorize and present a poem to the class each week. Sometimes we could choose partners, which made memorizing and standing in front of a classroom a little easier. I would take my time going through my Shel Silverstein books to find the perfect one and practice during recess. I took note on how the words played together and seemed to dance on the page. The white space all around was inviting, nothing like the rectangular black and white columns I was use to in other books.
Fast forward to last Thursday when I went to an all poetry show and my mind was exploding! In a matter of several hours my heart was filled with laughter, sadness, and a profound outlook; sometimes all at once. The night was amazing, to say the least. If you have never heard of these people, look them up now! No seriously, their work is online and you can view videos of them performing. I was filled with emotion and energy. The way they can shape their thoughts into words and speak them back to you is incredible and something I really just had to share.
If you think you’re not into poetry or spoken word, I challenge you to reconsider your outlook. The words they speak have so much truth, meaning and creativity; it’s the kind of thing I hope will someday sell out large arena’s vs. the mainstream pop music, who’s lyrics lack any sort of substance these days. Besides it’s National Poetry Month, so get into it. I’d also love to know if you have any favorite poets?
Body Nourishing Wraps
That night was quite nourishing for my mind, but these wraps were nourishing for my body. I made them for a friend who just had a baby and needed a dose of veggies and protein for the sleepless nights ahead, but ended up doubling the recipe for myself as well. I really can’t say enough about my love for the recipes in this book. I’ve made a few changes, including the name of the recipe here, but they really do feel like a whole body nourishing meal that suits the spring time transition nicely.
Body Nourishing Wraps
The collards were from my garden, so they were on the smallish side, but I’d suggest using the biggest ones you can find. And make a double batch of the carrot spread for sure, it’s delicious.
miso-carrot spread
1 cup roughly chopped carrots
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon white miso
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
8 large collard green leaves
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 tablespoon tahini
fresh squeezed lemon juice as needed
about 1/3 of a cucumber, peeled and julienned
about 1 cup daikon radish, peeled and julienned
1 avocado
Place the carrots, ginger, garlic clove, miso, honey, and vinegar in the bowl of a food processor or blender and process until fairly smooth, 1-2 minutes. With the motor running, drizzle in the sesame oil and salt and process until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Cut the stalk from the end of the collards and use a knife to shave down the rest of the stalk, making it level with the rest of the leaf. Bring a pot of water to a gently boil, turn off, and dip each leaf in the water for just a few seconds to lightly cook them and make them more pliable to roll, they’ll turn a darker, more vibrant shade of green.
In a bowl combine the quinoa and tahini, adding a bit of lemon juice to taste and stir to combine.
Set out a work space with all your wrap ingredients and arrange two of the collard leaves so they overlap each other with the tops facing opposite each other. Spread a generous amount of the miso-carrot spread down the middle, then layer a quarter each of the quinoa, cucumber, daikon radish, and avocado onto the leaves. Fold over each end, tuck one side under, and roll like a burrito. Serve or wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for several days.