I'm not sure what to write about first. I logged on tonight with the intention of relating my personal experience of the candida diet at the end of week one. But as soon as I started to type, the Dalai Lama came into my mind with a vivid mental picture; it insights me to reflect on two days in his presence first.

In the last two days I have truly studied. His Holiness was teaching two ancient advanced Buddhist texts. In fact, he said that the only way to reach enlightenment is to understand these lessons. The first text (Hymn to [the Buddha] The World Transcendent by Nagarjuna) was very difficult to follow; in a word, it was heady.

As I walked out my friend Derek asked if I was ok. In fact, I was floating through the world with my head swimming through my reality as I walked. Perhaps what I was feeling was the expansion of my neural net as it quickly built branches from the small roots of my prior understanding of buddhism into the tree of knowledge that I have been nurturing.

Though the first session was like mental gymnastics (and I was a little sore from being out of shape) I was eager to return to the auditorium and continue my learning today. The second text (In Praise of Dependent Origination by Je Tsongkhapa) was so well supported by the first. I was able to follow along more easily; the understanding was becoming a reality. On my way home on BART I re-read the text. My understanding came easily; I had learned what the author meant; that's a start. As I drove home from the train station it hit me: nothing means anything.

I think that I am going to ruminate over this and work on understanding before I summarize here. But I intend to summarize here (if anyone's interested).

So - back to food!

FAVA BEANS! If you haven't had them, you should try them. They are spring bounty. I often find myself looking at recipes for favas and am bummed that fresh ones aren't to be had. But if you are reading this in the spring, then you should seriously give them a try. They're fantastic. (Many restaurants include them on their specials.)

Tonight I fell upon a heaping mound of fresh favas at Berkeley Bowl (a grocery store, not a bowling alley). I bought two pounds. Because they are relatives of the pea they need to be shelled; a pound yields much less in the finished product. If you buy a pound a person you should be properly portioned.

Now that I have favas in hand I am unearthing my recipes. Here are a couple that I am considering for tomorrow's lunch/dinner.

Fava Beans with Yogurt, Lemon & Dill
Serves 4

• 4 pounds fresh fava beans in their pods
• 2 1/2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 scallions, including some of the greens, thinly sliced
• 1 t. finely grated lemon zest
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• Salt & freshly milled pepper
• 3 T. finely chopped dill
• 1/3 cup yogurt, whisked until smooth

Shell the beans and peel them if they're large. Cook them in a medium skillet over medium heat in 1 T. of olive oil until they're tender, about 10 minutes, then stir in the scallions and turn off the heat. Whisk together the remaining oil, lemon zest, juice and a pinch of salt. Pour it over the beans, add most of the dill and gently mix everything together. Season with pepper. Pile the beans in a dish, drizzle with the yogurt over all and garnish with the remaining dill. Serve warm or chilled.
from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Deborah Madison is a gifted cook who focuses her talent on creating flavorful, nutritious and healthy food. I would recommend this cookbook so highly. The recipes are inspiring and delicious.

Fava Bean Puree
Makes about 1 cup

• 2 pounds fava beans, shelled
• 1 1/2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Fresh lemon juice

Bring a small pot of water to boil and salt lightly. Drop in the beans and cook until bright green, 1 or 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Open the skin along the seam with your thumbnail and slip the beans out of their skins.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the beans and a pinch each of salt & pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 4 minutes, adding a little water to keep them moist. Tranfer to a small food processor and puree until smooth. Season with a few drops of lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste.
from Everyday Greens by Annie Somerville

Greens is a fantastic vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco. This is her second book, the first being Field of Greens. Her recipes are elegant in their simplicity. She has a true love of Champagne vinegar. When you buy this book, go straight to your gourmand/foodie supply and buy a bottle of some good champagne vinegar.