Ripe London

Greener Pastures

There’s only one way to say it: Ripe London has come to a close.  After over three years of restaurants, romance and recipes, the site has ripened to a point where it can’t ripen no more.

You knew it was coming, didn’t you?  What started off as a culinary-school journal really came into its own when I started writing about love under the guise of food, and I got a real kick out of seeing how far I could take it.  I also realized just how much of an attachment I had to food, rituals and figuring out the whys and hows of romantic love rather than just being in the moment.  Then late last year things began to shift within me in a positive way, and I didn’t feel the need to explore love lessons via food anymore – a big relief – but then I also didn’t have anything juicy to write about...or so I thought.

You didn’t think I’d just leave you hanging, did you?  No way.  You’ve all been so patient with the changes, and now I hope you’ll stick with me through yet another one.

So what it is it?  I’m thrilled to invite you to re-direct your browsers from now on to Green Appetite, my new site, initiative and blog all about eating great food that’s nourishing for our bodies and kind to the planet – not to mention a feast for the senses.  The focus is on whole, living plant-based foods that respect what nature gives us.  In turn, we’re rewarded with better health, a happier planet and much less work to do in the kitchen, so we can have more time for what really matters...sweet, healthy loving!

Looking back, I can now see that I’ve been moving towards this all along.  Even my choice of the word “ripe” seems to have been part of some larger plan that I wasn’t aware of, at least not consciously.  When something ripens, something new and green comes to take its place, beginning the cycle of life all over again.

Unlike the layout of this site that has been minimalist to its detriment, Green Appetite is much more than just a blog.  I’ve tried to make it as easy as possible for you to navigate and find things with a separate, searchable section for recipes.  I hope you’ll take the time to read the (long) launch post on the blog; in it I reveal the background story (way back to 1997!), why I’ve been quiet for the past few months and how grateful I am to the many kind people who helped me along the way.

Thank you so much for dining with me all these years.  The next course awaits you. 

Feeling Lucky

Fun news!  My sugar-free, dairy-free Dulce de Leche is recipe of the week over at Kris Carr’s incredibly cool Crazy Sexy Life.  You’ll find a ton of info on there about total wellbeing, so check it out often.  Crazy sexy life...who wouldn’t want some of that? 

'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky

I know one of the worst blogger sins is to apologize for not posting, but things have been buzzing offline over here, and soon I’ll tell you why.  Meanwhile, I thought I’d pass on one of my quick standbys.  It’s for those times (lots of ‘em lately) when I want the flavour of sushi without the fuss.  Perhaps I should call this “Busy Sushi”.  Happy bank holiday weekend!

Lazy Sushi
Serves 1

1 ripe avocado
2-inch cucumber portion
1 nori sheet, cut into short strips
Handful chives or green onions, snipped
Handful mixed sprouts
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Use a sharp knife to halve and twist the avocado open, then simply slice a grid through the flesh just to the skin.  Spoon the pieces out into a bowl.  Halve the cucumber lengthwise and slice into thin half-moons.   Toss everything together until the nori goes soft.