In Nicaragua, following in Twains footsteps – and his dreams.

Nicaragua: The next Costa Rica? | MNN – Mother Nature Network.

click link below for story…

Making Bamboo Houses Easier to Build | NowPublic News Coverage.

As one who enjoys that lightness and vital-energy that raw foods provides, there are some mornings where a fresh, pressed juice and / or smoothie just isn’t enough! So, for day’s like today, where freezing temperatures and rain are forecasted, here’s a fun, warm belly-satisfying treat that competes with any cooked, vegan or non-vegan muffin! So, if you have a dehydrator — give it a whirl! It’s fun and husband approved!

Special Equipment:

Dehydrator, Spice or coffee grinder

Advance Prep Time: 30 minutes for soaking, 6 hours dehydrating time

Immediate Prep Time: 20 minutes

All Organic, Ingredients:

3/4 C Cacao (Raw Chocolate)

1 T Maca and or Lucuma Powder, optional

1/2 C Buckwheat

1/4 C Golden Flax Seeds

1/2 t Cinnamon

1/3 C + 2 T Water

1/4 C Clear Agave

Pinch Sea Salt

1 Apple

1 Pear

Directions:

Soak buckwheat in water for 20 – 30 minutes, rinse and strain. Grind flax to flour and pour into a large mixing bowl. Grind buckwheat to a past and add to mixing bowl. Core, blend the pear and apple to a puree. Put 1/2 of the mixture (Reserve the other half of apple / pear mixture) and water into the mixing bowl and add all other ingredients and mix away!  Put 2 teaspoons of the mixture into muffin cups and press down. Make a ‘hole’ with your finger and drop a teaspoon of the fruit puree into each hole. Cover each muffin with more muffin mixture until they’re full and smooth over the tops. Place in dehydrator for 2 hours at 140 degrees. Then, remove the paper cups and turn the muffins over and dehydrate for another four hours at 115 degrees. Enjoy, warm straight out of the dehydrator with some yummy nut or seed milk!

Recipe adapted “Evie’s Kitchen,” by from Shazzie

thanks to texas tech...

It would be amazing if this project does materialize in Managua!  See link above to read story about a study abroad program run through the Architecture department at Texas Tech.  I will be meeting a graduate of this program who now works for the Ministry of Tourism when I am down in Nicaragua in December.

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thanks to ny times...

I came across this article in the NY Times and it gives what appears to be a fairly balanced assessment of the economic and political climate in Nicaragua.  Of course any investment in a risk and it is important to stay informed as much as you can- one of the main goals of this website is to help facilitate that.  The article makes a good point when comparing investing in property in Nicaragua to the performance of our 401Ks or stock market investments in the US.  Everyone told us that our 401K was an extremely conservative investment and just to let it ride for years (and years) and eventually it would gain in value.  I have been watching one of our accounts for about 10 years and it has not gained anything to speak of.

But the reality is that what is unique about this venture is that it contributes to our living a new and exciting lifestyle.  An opportunity to expand our life experience and that is a very tough thing to put a value on.

Nicaragua Is Attractive to Many U.S. Retirees – NYTimes.com

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thanks to CIA- World Fact Book

Everything the CIA wants you to know about Nicaragua.  A friend of mine told me about this site and it is a good source to find general information on a country.  The photo is also from their site.  Click link below to see more…

CIA – The World Factbook — Nicaragua.

I am researching inexpensive ways to stay connected to the US when we are in Nicaragua.  So far it appears the best options are Skype or Fring when calling from an Iphone which is what I hope to do on this first trip in December.  We have also added Google Talk for PC to PC.  I will be testing all of these when I am down there to come up with the least expensive and most reliable solution.  The above link will take you to an article that discusses the many options.  Please post your comments if you find better solutions.

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Treehouse / RPA | ArchDaily

Click on the link above to view a great treehouse studio.  I have been thinking a lot about whether or not we want our house in Nicaragua to be above ground in case there is ever a major storm.  This is a very cool design and may inspire what we do in Nicaragua.  Check out the article.

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The great yogi-saint, Ramana Maharshi, once said, “When you eat a pure diet, the thoughts of the mind become pure; they become quite, and the knots of the heart become untied.” Ultimately, our body and the expressions that our minds and mouths produce is a reflection of our inner-self, our inner body-ecology. So in honor of the health of our body, mind, and spirit as well as the health of the planet, Himat and I choose to consume a plant-sourced only diet.

With a passion for vegan, live (raw) foods – meaning only live, organic greens, veggies, spouts, nuts, seeds, fruit and superfoods – that haven’t been heating above 120 degrees in order to preserve all the beautiful nutrients, minerals, enzymes and life-energy that exists within them – most of these recipes will feature fun, happy, healthy, organic, vegan, no sugar (and low glycemic), live / raw food.

So without further adieu, here’s a raw-food recipe ready to satisfy the “Tex-Mex craving” in anyone: raw, vegan organic ENCHILADAS!

Sun-dried Tomato, Chile, and Pumpkin Seed Pate ‘Enchiladas’ with Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde

2 cups avocado

½ chopped jalapeno

½ bunch of cilantro

6 T lime juice

4 green onions

1 t celtic sea salt

½ t freshly ground black pepper

Directions: I like salsa verde “chunky” so I cut Avocados into “chucks” and food process all other (non-spice) ingredients. Then, add food process fun to avocados, squeeze the lime juice and add spices and mash with fork. Trick to salsa verde is enough salt and lime juice.

Spinach Tortillas

2 C fresh spinach

½ t celtic sea salt

2 T of grounded flax seed

2 T of lemon.

Process spinach in food processor with “S” blade – then slowly add flax then other ingredients. Spread on teflex sheet (one BIG square), super thin – and place in dehydrator for 1.5 hours at 115. Then flip tortillas and dehydrate until dry yet pliable.

Sun-dried tomato chile and pumpkin seed pate

1 C pumpkin seeds (soaked for 4 hours, minimum)

8 sun-dried tomato halves (soaked for 4 hours)

¼ t garlic

2 T lime juice

1 T azuki bean miso

1 date (helps to cut acidity of tomatoes.)

½ jalapeno pepper

2 scallions

Rinse and drain seeds and tomatoes. Place all (expect scallions) in food processor with “S” blade. Puree into semi smooth pate. Then, in a bowl fold in the chopped scallions. Place pate in the middle of spinach tortillas and roll-up and top with salsa verde and / or seed cheese. If you don’t want to make the tortillas – the get a big lettuce leaf (butter lettuce or romaine), chard leaf (remove the steam), or endive leaf – and use that as your “wrap.” Super yummy!