Jenny Doh

Bouts for the everyman

This is what my table looked like after my dinner party last night. One of the most enjoyable nights I've had in a long time. Good food that I had the pleasure of cooking and serving to my boxing friends (three years of boxing together and the bond is quite strong!), and such good conversation ... about books, politics, our past, our present, intriguing podcasts, and the thrill of boxing of course. It was extremely enjoyable. It was a dinner party that couldn't get here fast enough when we planned it a while back but during the day as I was preparing the food, I felt the hours were going too fast as I worked hard to get everything done.

One of my boxing friends shared that he is going to get into an actual ring in March and fight an actual fight with a real life opponent. He's enrolled and scheduled and everything!

Oh my goodness!

He pointed out that it's just six minutes in the ring ... the way this particular fight format is organized ... which is three two-minute rounds amongst boxing enthusiasts who are not professionals at all ... bouts for the everyman. His point was that six minutes out of a person's life is a drop in the bucket, comparatively. Part of me wanted to talk him out of it but the part of me that realizes that people do what they decide to do decided to listen attentively ... and cleared plates to serve up the final paleo course of lemon curd cake and banana ice cream for everyone.

So I talked to Coach Tee about this today. He pointed out that yes, six minutes is a short period of time but when you're in the ring, six minutes can be a fucking eternity. But what of it? We do what we decide to do.

I decided that I'm gonna be in my friend's corner on the night of his fight. And if he'll let me, I'm gonna be part of his small entourage as he enters the ring. I figure if anything, I can give him my moral support. Maybe hand him a water bottle between rounds. Just be in his corner, you know?

The time thing made me think about how our emotions make it seem like it's going too slowly or too quickly.

Remember the Hermes that I told you I got on ebay? My daughter will attest to the fact that I lost out on several other Hermes on ebay because I just didn't hit it right in terms of bidding at the right moment. But when I saw this one that I ended up winning, I knew I had to pull myself together and get er done. When I first saw it, I had like 6 days before the auction would end. Six days! What an eternity to wait to finalize the bid, I thought. And then when it came down to the last one minute of the auction, and then 50 seconds and then 40 seconds when I decided to put my bid in, my heart was beating fast and I felt the seconds were going way too fast, as I almost fumbled the pressing of the BID NOW button ... kind of freaking out about the potential of losing the perfect Hermes to a less deserving bidder.

After I won it, time seemed to move at its normal pace again. And I could breathe again.

But of course time moves at its same pace whether we are in or out of the ring, bidding or not bidding in an auction. Relentlessly so.

So my friend will fight in March.

It seems simultaneously too close and too far from now.

More please

Today was a fantastic day. Some of my art friends made the time to come all the way to my gym to box with me and Coach Tee. Here's a shot that my friend Josie took during our time together. I love it.

The reason they all came to my gym is because they had asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday and ... though we had toyed with the idea of doing something grand like going to NYC, plans evolved into something much simpler and I said I really wanted all of us to go boxing together.

After boxing, we all met up for a lovely brunch where we ate yummy food and I was showered with presents ... mostly beautiful books, both new and old. My friend Jennifer asked me if there was anything in particular I wanted to have happen this coming year.

"More," I said.

More of what I have right now. Art. Boxing. Food. Family. Friends. Studio. Reading. I think more than ever before, I am able to be in the moment and appreciate the brush strokes when I'm painting. The punches when I'm boxing. The ingredients when I'm cooking. My voice  when I'm conversing with the people I love. The words when I'm reading.

To be in the moment not wanting the moment to be different, or worrying about a past or future moment. It's as good as it gets.

Last night a young gal I know messaged me asking for a book recommendation. She's been through a rough period in her life and is looking for a book that might help her move forward. I told her I'm not much into self-help books but that I could recommend some good fiction. She was open to it. I'm still thinking about what I'll recommend. To me, the subject of the fiction doesn't have to be uplifting per se, to help a person move forward. It simply has to be deeply engaging ... perhaps intoxicating ... so much so that we drink the book in wanting every drop of it to seep into who we are so that we can feel it and we can imagine it, we can get lost in it ... and when we are lost, a moment when perhaps we become separated from the troubles we may have ... to realize how deeply moving a piece of fiction is ... and how our problem about ... you know ... the problem ... now what was that about again? ... starts to fade to unimportance. After all, there are more beautiful books to read, more good food to eat, more boxing sessions to go to, and more deep, beautiful conversations to have with humans who are equally adept at having conversations ... perhaps about the same book that you have read, or a different one that you decide to pick up because their description and the epiphanies they had while reading it as shared over coffee is highly engaging. No, intoxicating.

6 Things :: Food, Flattery, and Criticism

 6 things on my mind right now.

6 There is no "quick answer" to questions that I occasionally get like: "Hey Jenny, I have a really quick question for you. Can you tell me how to start and run an art studio? Just message me, would ya? My friends and I want to start one too." Well, the question might be quick but the answer is not. And with all due respect, the answer is based on years of blood, sweat, tears, and huge risks that I have personally taken. Though I'm sure there is no bad intent, it's insulting to be asked to just instant message answers to matters that I've invested years of myself into while I steal the time from my other projects to do this for people I hardly know. For those who really want to ask me questions on whatever the topic may be (usually it's publishing or studio-related) ... I have a path that allows for that to happen. And it has been gratifying to know that people who have used that path have found what I share to be helpful. :) 

5 Spontaneously and without warning, I've started to cook. It is the most wonderful thing that has happened to me. I wake up every morning excited about coming up with a menu. I feel it's one of the most creative processes and it has so many parallels to the process of painting. I love it and I love life more because I am cooking.

4 You may have noticed through the photos I post that I use things like butter, olive oil, chicken, beef, pork, coconut milk, and of course lots of veggies. I don't use grains, refined sugar, legumes and with little exception, lactose. As much as possible, I cook paleo. To me, coupled with regular exercise (that includes not just cardio but lifting heavy things), paleo is the key to long-term fitness.

3 It makes me happy to see The Mister and my son Andrew enjoy my food. That's actually the best part. Andrew and I had a good talk about it recently. He has a tendency to lose control with portions when something tastes good. Don't we all?! So when he was wanting more and more of something delicious that I had prepared for him, I said "Andrew, tomorrow is another day. I'm going to be making something different but also delicious so no need to consume and possess all of this right now."

2 What I said to him must have resonated because the next day, he mentioned how good food is like good art and the creative process, where we may think what we've made today is as good as it will ever get, and there will be nothing better and so we better hold on tight, and possess, and don't let it go and not think of making anything else. But of course tomorrow is a new day. A new day to let go, and create something different and wonderful.

1 Whether it's food or art, I am happy that I get to make what I want. Sometimes, when someone says they "love love love" a painting of mine, there's this notion that I ought to make more of that thing that someone "love love loves." And when someone hates a painting of mine, there's a notion that I ought not make more in that style. The privilege that is mine right now is that it matters not one Iota to me, whether my paintings garner flattery or criticism. I paint to express who I am, what I see, and what I feel. Georgia O'Keefe said it best: "I have already settled it for myself so flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I am quite free."

Favorite Paleo Chocolate Cake Recipe

Thought I'd share with you my favorite recipe for Paleo Chocolate Cake. It's a super moist cake that's kind of brownie-like. This recipe will allow you to make one 9-inch round. I never frost it. It's  perfect as is.

WET INGREDIENTS
• 6 eggs at room temperature
• 3/4 cup of honey
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/3 cup of liquified coconut oil (most coconut oils come in a solid form so just heat it enough so that it becomes melted)

DRY INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

OPTIONAL INGREDIENT
• 1 cup of dark chocolate chunks

DIRECTIONS
• Turn on oven and set at 350 degrees.
• Take out the eggs and place them near the oven so that the heat can take the chill out of the eggs and bring them close to room temperature. This is important because if the eggs are cold, they will cause the coconut oil to solidify during the mixing process, which you want to avoid.
• Mix wet ingredients together in a bowl
• Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl
• Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix well until smooth
• Pour the batter into a 9-inch round pan. (There's no need to grease and flour the pan as long as it's a non-stick pan.)
• Drop dark chocolate chunks into the top of the batter in the pan. This is optional because some paleo people don't eat chocolate.
• Place the pan into the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies (Cakey Version)

You probably know by now (especially if you follow my IG feed), that I eat a paleo-based diet. At times, I embrace small modifications ... just because life sometimes requires modifications.

One thing I've been experimenting with is making paleo chocolate chip cookies. I've been experimenting with several recipies that I've found online and developed a modified version that I think tastes pretty darn good. This final recipe results in small cookies with a nice cakey texture with flavor that my kids love. :)

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies (Cakey Version)

INGREDIENTS

• 2.25 cups Almond Flour
• .5 cup Coconut Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• .25 cup Coconut Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• .5 cup Maple Syrup
• 1 10-ounce bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
• .25 cup liquid Coconut Oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and coconut sugar in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla.
4. Add the dry mixture from step 2 into the wet mixture from step 3.
5. Add the Chocolate Chunks and liquid Coconut Oil and mix.
6. Place a small amount of dough into your hands and roll into a ball. Place it onto the cookie sheet and flatten with your hand. Note: Unlike traditional chocolate chip cookie dough, this dough should not be spooned directly onto the cookie sheet. It needs to be shaped by hand and flattened so that the dough does not fall apart while baking. Repeat until the cookie sheet is filled with 9-12 cookies.
7. Bake for 12-13 minutes.

NOTE: Just because something is Paleo or Gluten-Free does not mean that you overeat them without consequences. Enjoy these cookies and all other foods in moderation. :)

Peppermint Water Recipe

Wanted to pass along a great tip that I learned from a friend, on how to make Peppermint Water—great when you need a boost while working out or a boost late in the afternoon when you're fading out.

WHAT YOU NEED
- 16-22 ounces of water in a bottle*
- Small bottle of peppermint essential oil (I got mine from Mother's Market)

WHAT YOU DO
- Put one drop of peppermint oil into your water bottle filled with water. (One drop is really all you need. It goes a LONG way.)
- Close the water bottle and give it a nice shake so the oil gets nicely mixed.
- Enjoy!


*My water bottle is by Life Factory. It's made of pure glass, which makes water taste the best. The bottle comes with a  cradled by  a silicone sleeve, so that even if the bottle gets knocked around a bit, it will prevent breakage. I have a 22-ounce flip cap version with a little flip top that can open and close ... great for the gym. But the top also unscrews completely ... great for when I'm crazy thirsty. I try to drink 3 of these a day ... not always with the peppermint oil. That's just when I need a pick-me-up.
To water.
To life.

EDIT IN: Research regarding peppermint oil shows that it is a safe to consume at recommended dosages (adults .2 to .4 mL three times a day and children .1 to .2 mL three times a day) but that it can have negative effects due to potential toxicity that can occur at higher/excessive doses. Here's an article that explains.

Perfectly Paleo :: Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Nothin' better than baked sweet potatoes. And the best part: they're Paleo! Not rocket science but here's how I make em.

WHAT YOU NEED

• 4-6 small or medium sweet potatoes*
• Sharp kitchen knife
• Baking pan
• Butter**
• Black pepper
• Himalayan salt

 *Sweet potatoes are the ones with the lighter skin and yellowish flesh when cooked. Yams are the ones with darker skin and orangeish flesh when cooked. Either kind will work. I personally prefer sweet potatos. In Korea, you call them Go-Gu-Ma.

**Technically, butter is not Paleo. But butter is one of those things that is up for debate amongst many Paleo-enthusiasts and accepted by many as a modification in moderation. It's a modification that I personally embrace.

WHAT YOU DO

• Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Make criss-cross slits on the sweet potatoes with a sharp knife. You can also poke holes in them with a fork but that's harder to do.
• Place the sweet potatoes into a baking pan. I can usually fit 4 to 6 and sometimes even 7 sweet potatoes. 
• That's it! Don't do anything else to the sweet potatoes. Don't put sauces on them or anything else. Just put them in the oven for 1 hour to bake. I have found whether I put in 4 or 7 sweet potatoes, the results are always the same.

• Once you take them out of the oven, cut them down the center and put a little bit of butter. It'll melt pretty fast.
• Add fresh ground black pepper and himalayan salt.

• Smoosh it all together and enjoy. Skin and all.

Usually I'll have an extra one or two leftover baked sweet potatoes for the next day, which is a great thing. I keep them in the fridge and then heat them up for a lunch or a snack and they taste just as good.

Happy Paleo. :)

Perfect Paleo Pancakes

I'm not sure who exactly invented this recipe for Paleo pancakes but it's abundantly out there in the universe. One of my Paleo friends pointed it out to me ... and I decided to try it out this morning. :)

THE INGREDIENTS

1 Banana
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons of almond butter (My favorite almond butter is by Artisana. It's pricey but to me, it's worth it. I get it at my local Mother's Market. There are other almond butters that are really good too but I do have to say that I've probably tasted them all and this Artisana brand is head and shoulders above the rest in terms of consistency and taste ... even tastier than the kind that you grind right then and there with a grinding machine.)

WHAT YOU DO
Smoosh everything together in a bowl. And quiet your doubt that will wonder: "Will this really make anything that looks and tastes like a pancake?" Because you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Heat a pan with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and put a dollop of the batter and cook it just like you would a regular pancake.
You'll be able to make 3 small pancakes.
Top it with real maple syrup and enjoy. (Be careful about the maple syrup. There's a lot of syrup out there that is made of sugar and corn syrup and other icky stuff. Get the kind that is straight out of a tree with nothing added.)

SO DELICIOUS!

Other Toppings and Add-Ins I can't wait to try:

• Walnuts
• Blueberries
• Coconut flour
• Apples
• Cinnamon

Soaked Raw Almonds with Honey + Cinnamon Recipe

Have you heard about soaking raw almonds in water?

I recently learned about it from a raw food enthusiast friend of mine who told me that if you take raw almonds and soak them in water over night, they will become super plump and fun to eat. (Not that almonds aren't fun to eat non-soaked ... but I thought this was a cool new way to enjoy one of my favorite nuts.)

After soaking them in a glass over night, all you need to do is rinse them out in fresh water the morning after. Once rinsed, you can see how the almonds are all plumped up, with the outer membranes looking super alive.

I decided to douse my plump almonds with honey and cinnamon and then literally gobbled them up. So, so good. My friend says that if you continue the process of soaking and rinsing for several days, the almonds will actually sprout and that they are super good to eat when sprouted as well.

Perhaps I'll one day be able to wait until they sprout but for now, I can't seem to get past the first day of soaking them and then eating them all up. 

EDIT :: This is technically a germination process so it's smart to keep the soaking almonds in a cool dark place like the refridgerator to inhibit bacteria growth. The more it germinates, the easier it becomes to digest and the more it sprouts, the fewer calories and more nutrients the almonds will have. 

Jelly Jars + Rice Cake with Apricot & Flax & Banana Recipe

I love Bonne Maman preserves ... not just because they're delicious but because I love the beautiful jelly jars that they come in, where "Bonne Maman" is embossed on the glass. They are wide-mouthed, sturdy, and easy to clean ...

... and perfect to use as drinking jars or storage jars long after the preserves are gone. My favorite of their assortment is the Apricot Preserves. Mmmm ... so good.


One of the jars is where I store my flax seeds. Do you know about them? These seeds are teeny tiny but packed with so many nutrients including Omega-3s, all the B vitamins and fiber.

But to gain the benefits of the nutrients, you need to grind them up. Here's what they look like after about 10 seconds in a coffee grinder. About 3 Tablespoons is what I try to incorporate into my diet every day to get all the nutrients. Flax comes in this goden color and also a darker color. I get mine from Mother's Market, in their bulk food aisle.

A few things to remember if you're gonna add flax into your diet:

• Don't grind too much at a time. It'll go bad. Just grind a bit at a time. If you grind more than you can use in one meal, seal it in a container and put it in your refridgerator. A week's worth is good.
• The non-ground seeds don't need to be refridgerated but I do like to keep it in a cool, dry place.
• Don't over-do it. It's got lots of fiber. About 3Tablespoons a day is good. Drink extra water to help it digest.
• It'll fill you up. In my experience, the feeling of full gets even more so when ground flax is added so keep that in mind. You may not need as much food to feel full when you use flax in your diet. (That's a good thing!)

It doesn't have a taste, really. It's sort of a non-event. I just love it because it's a natural way to enhance the nutritional value in what I eat ... in smoothies, yogurt, soups ...
... and my favorite thing these days ...

I spread a bit of cashew butter (you could use peanut butter or almond butter but I highly recommend cashew butter) onto a brown rice rice cake, followed by a spoonful of Apricot prserves, and then sprinkled with ground flax seeds ...

then topped with sliced bananas.

Coupled with a glass of skim milk in a cute little jelly jar and you have the perfect breakfast or lunch or post-workout snack.

Happy Bento. :)