Dear mom,

I get it. Mothers worry. I want to be less annoyed.

Were you always like this?

I don’t remember feeling the weight of your worry as a kid – you definitely were not one of those moms concerned with what I watched on TV, food regulations, where and with whom I played, bed-times, homework, germs …

Dealing with your all-consuming worry feels new to me. Maybe the difference is that now my own plate of worries is full. It’s hard to move when I’m balancing your stack on top of my own. Unless you hanker after a messy spill, get it under control or keep it to yourself.

I worry that I’m not in the right place even though people keep telling me that Berkeley is so me. I miss Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv. I miss people who speak with aggression and move with intensity and smile only when it’s real. I’m in shock from all the health food, health centers and health activities. I want Bamba. Why is no one blowing smoke in my face or coughing on me or cursing at me because of how I’m dressed? What is a co-op, exactly? Why are people out and about 7 days a week? Strangers here don’t ask about what I’m doing or push me out of the way or try to set me up with their neighbor’s son’s friend… but it feels like they’re always staring if I use the trash bin instead of compost.  Why are bus drivers nice to me? Does it mean that I have to be nice back?

I worry that I won’t get it, but I know that it takes time to feel comfortable in any new place. So I’ll carry on, integrating pieces of Berkeley into my life slowly, slowly (shwai shwai ). I’ll wait patiently for things to feel right. This recipe is part of the effort: vegetarian, organic, spicy, probiotic, omega fatty acids — so Berkeley.

Xo,

Shaina

Ps. Thanks for washing and folding my loads and loads of very dirty clothes. I don’t think I had so many pieces of underwear to choose from since high school.

Pps. This recipe is also prep for our third Esrei Yamim Cleanse, starting September 26th! I can’t wait.

Roasted Moroccan Spiced Carrots

• 7 medium carrots, cut diagonally in 1 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs Moroccan spice blend*
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbs sesame seeds
• ½ c golden raisins

Coat carrot slices in olive oil, Moroccan spices and salt. Roast in a 350 degree oven for 40-minutes, stirring them halfway through the cooking time to distribute the heat.

After 40 minutes, add the golden raisins and and sesame seeds. Mix in and leave in the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven, stir again and let cool.

*See below for Moroccan spice recipe

Moroccan Carrot, Yogurt and Avocado Bowl

• Generous scoop of greek or plain yogurt
• ½ cup roasted Moroccan spiced carrots
• ½ avocado, sliced
• handful of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc for garnish
• Salt and black pepper as desired

Pile carrots on top of  of yogurt in a bowl. Top with ½ cup of roasted carrots, avocado and pumpkin/sunflower seeds. Add salt and fresh black pepper as desired.

Moroccan Spice Blend

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves