Nine years ago, Sandy Pukel decided to take veganism and macrobiotics on the high seas.  Since then, every spring, a huge cruise ship hauls just under a thousand of us pasty health food freaks out into the sunshine of the Caribbean.  If you've never been, I can't recommend it enough.
Next Spring, the ship is leaving [...]

I have had a serious case of blogstipation.  My worst yet. 
You see, I went to Israel in December and had one of the best times of my life.  Between the landscape, the history, the people  and the classes I taught , it was an incredibly rich and layered experience. 
Hence, the blogstipation.  There is just too [...]

I hate to re-blog, but we ARE getting close to Thanksgiving and it is ESSENTIAL that you are all prepared to make amazing Tofu Turkeys, so I am re-posting the recipe below.
Remember: it is easy. You're basically just stuffing a dome of tofu with delicious stuffing and baking it. No biggie. It's just that the [...]

I've known Mayumi Nishimura for 15 or 16 years. She was not only a teacher at the Kushi Institute (who taught me deep-fried, miso-stuffed lotus root–thanks!), but she was also the greatest head chef in the kitchen there. If Mayumi was cooking that day, you knew it would be gooooood.
Roughly ten years ago, word got [...]

I’m not sure one can really understand Japan without experiencing it.  I mean, I’d seen Lost in Translation, read a novel by Mishima in college and heard many friends’ anecdotes…  I remember the Hello Kitty days (not entirely over, by the way) and I have a handful of close Japanese friends I’ve met through macrobiotics…  [...]

 
I just don’t understand Strawberry People .  I just don’t.  I don’t GET wanting to eat a berry that makes me feel like I’m French kissing a cat .  Call me crazy.
This time of year is so hard.  My beloved raspberries  come out to play and I am once again reminded of just how deeply [...]

 
When I was a kid, being curious  was the gold standard in my father’s house.  "He’s a nice guy, but he’s just not… curious" my Dad would say, about my, or a sister’s, prospective boyfriend.   That was the kiss of death.  He could be ugly, unemployed, a fascist… but lacking curiosity??? A dealbreaker.  
I [...]

 
I love that macrobiotics has a long, rich history, full of great characters.  Much, much more than a diet, macrobiotics has a whole community of people who have devoted their lives’ work to spreading the word of healthy, whole foods and the personal transformations contained therein.  Nice use of "therein" eh?
Aveline Kushi was a pioneer [...]

Are you ready for the Kushi Institute Summer Conference? 
Every year, around this time, a bunch of macro freeeeeeeeks get together to talk shop.  15 years ago it was in Vermont , at Green Mountain College in a little town called Poultney.  There was a big ole tire swing that dunked hot macros in a cool [...]

 
I had some friends over for dinner last night and served two of my favorite dishes–Mock Tuna and Quinoa Salad with Hazelnuts. They’re both from The Hip Chick’s Guide (although one I stole–with permission–from Christina!) so if you’ve made them ten thousands times, forgive me.  If you have not, now’s the time to throw a [...]