Recipes: Balsalmic & Pesto Black Eyed Salad

This was another one of my spur-of-the-moment lunch creations. I knew I wanted salad, needed protein, didn't feel like meat, and wanted to feel like I just had something delicious and light for lunch.

Excuse the iPhone shot of the salad, as I was nearly halfway through eating it before I realized I forgot to take a picture of it for the recipe. :) Ah, Mommybrain.

1 C. Organic Baby Spinach
1 C. Organic Mixed Greens
Several leaves of fresh organic Basil, sliced
3-4 Organic, multi-colored sweet small peppers, thinly sliced
3-4 Organic Baby Bella Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1-2 Organic green onions, sliced
1/2 C. Organic Black Eyed Peas (unsalted, then sprinkle with a small amount of seasoned sea salt)
1/2 package of Organic Basil Pesto seasoning (I use Simply Organics when no time to make from scratch)
2 Tbsp. Fig Balsamic dressing (or plain balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of grapeseed oil)
1 tsp. balsamic glaze (if you have it, or reduced balsamic vinegar)
1 tsp. grapeseed or coconut oil

Toss spinach and spring mix together in a large bowl, along with the green onions, mushrooms and peppers. Place black eyed peas (well rinsed, then lightly sprinkled with sea salt) in a separate bowl, along with the 1/2 packet of pesto seasoning and 1 tsp. grapeseed oil, and mix together. Drizzle balsamic dressing over salad, then layer with the black eyed peas. Garnish with freshly sliced basil, and enjoy!!!

Namaste,

Beautifully Broken

See these two sand dollars? They are broken, like the hundreds on the shore in Pacific Beach, WA. Not all were broken, while walking with my daughter Mia, now 18 months, we found a dozen or so whole sand dollars, and she gleefully picked each one up and placed it in her pail like I’d shown her to do. Earlier that morning I’d gone for a run along the shore, under the crystal clear robin’s egg blue sky, with the salty mist in my lungs and the wind across my body, I ran my heart out in that exquisite moment of perfection. That is why I had to stop and look at the broken sand dollars. 

There they were broken, broken in my exquisite moment of bliss on that shore, and yet although broken, they were perfect. Perfect because they were right where they should be, at the edge of the ocean, right where they were supposed to be in that moment.
I saw that they were beautifully broken, not just half a shell. They were in that spot for a reason… if no other than to make my moment perfect.
I think that so often after child birth we girls can feel oh so broken, imperfect. We’ve been stretched, stressed, burdened, huge, heavy, and sleepless, aching, hurting, and all the while in love with our new bundle, yet we do not feel like ourselves (at least most of us don’t).
 Our bodies have been out of our control for nearly a year, and counting, as we adjust to postpartum differences, breastfeeding, and a myriad of emotions that we can rarely put a name to. It can be difficult, and some of us struggle with things long after birth… I myself still have a couple little quirky issues that linger from birth, and since I am still breastfeeding, I some days still do not feel like I have my old body back (as much as I love being able to continue breastfeeding).
So here is my thought in this moment… You are beautifully broken. You may not be completely back to normal no  matter how many ab exercises you’ve done, how many miles you’ve run to burn off the baby weight, no matter what your issue is, maybe you’re feeling broken just today… but it is beautiful because it is exactly where you are supposed to be in your own moment. You are supposed to be here, right now, with your new baby or toddler, feeling all these emotions and taking this journey not back to who you were, your old body and self, but a journey forwards, morphing into the woman you are becoming. The mother, the lover, the homemaker or working mom, it doesn’t matter.
This is your journey, your moment, and you are exactly where you are supposed to be, broken and all. Let yourself be in this moment and chose to see it as beautiful, and know that it is only temporary. Because love conquers all… love of one’s child, love of one’s self, and love of life. If you are broken, or just feeling broken, be beautifully broken, and don’t underestimate yourself. The best is yet to come, if you so desire.

Namaste,

Got Acne, Zits, Pimples, Breakouts, a Blemish, or as Mia calls them, “Mommy hurt?”

Let’s get real –we all get them from time to time, some worse than others… we all want perfect skin, and we all go through phases of glowing, blemish free skin to days when we feel like a leaper. Ugh! Those pesky things! I hate them! I went through most of my teens, my entire twenties, pregnancy and 1.5 years post partum with barely a blemish, and all of a sudden I started getting a few… then more and more! No! Tried everything –my diet was/is already very clean, I tried eliminating more foods and implementing others, but nothing worked. It had to be something else; hormones? I could only speculate. I began trying… everything!  My normal (religious) facial care seemed to be doing nothing, and even harming my skin, making it worse. I’ve always had the “perfect balance” when it came to facial products and make-up (or the lack thereof… not a foundation girl, keep things to a minimum. Light powder, eye makeup, that is about it) so why did everything just stop working? At a time when I am already overwhelmed with classes and being Mia’s full time Mommy, I barely have time to get in my exercise, much less deal with concealer and spot treatments.  I started doing some serious research, and started to realize it was indeed because of my hormones… what is up with turning 30 and everything in your body switching up on you –again! As if puberty, our monthly little visits, pregnancy, postpartum and then menopause aren’t changes enough, we have to deal with wacky hormones at the most inopportune times in life. C’mon!

 I had an ‘inkling’ of what was going on… had to be low estrogen along with maybe some vitamin A deficiency. Again, this was all speculation. I began eating more Maca… organic powder that I add into my smoothies. I also added evening primrose oil. I kept on with my beauty pearl, and doubled the dose (Beauty Pearl from Sunrider.com). I started researching more and more, and finally stumbled across some information from a Natropathic Doctor who is also a Holistic Esthetician in Portugual. Her words of wisdom –bless her words of wisdom! Have worked like a charm… things are starting to clear up, wonder of wonders! So I am passing on this information because it is so good, and I’ve been using it on myself with great success… I’d never pass on info that I didn’t already test on myself, so take it with your own personal grain of salt, try if you wish, and let me know if you get the same great results as I did from these natural solutions.

Here is what she recommended:

First of all, she prohibited the consummation of any/all pork products, because pork meat tends to carry the parasite/worm Trichinosis that causes severe acne. She then recommends doing a cleanse if this parasite is suspected, using a treatment with cloves, absinth and wormword for 21 days (I did not try this, and would go see a Naturopathic/other doctor if I thought I was infected with this parasite for a treatment under their care). After the 21 days, she says to fill your diet with water, herbal teas, fresh fruit and vegetables, as much as you can eat (obviously this part I was already doing, and still do -70/30 alkaline fruits and veggies with cooked food/grains/proteins. She says to exercise, and avoid all soy products as soy products negatively affect your endocrine system (and ultimately your hormone balance). She says to avoid all gluten and diary and start consuming whole leaf Aloe Vera. She then recommends to do an external treatment consisting of clay (I use bentonite mixed with apple cider vinegar) mixed with grated yam (I did organic jeweled yams, about 1 Tbsp) and freshly grated ginger (I did about 1 Tbsp). Apply to affected areas and leave on for 1 hour per day, 15 days in a row. She says to not use soap or any products containing detergent like products, because they make the skin produce more oil, causing more breakouts. She said to wash with water only, and then afterward apply raw organic apple cider (I use Bragg’s) with a cotton ball, then organic, “biological” coconut oil (I use organic raw coconut oil). She said coconut oil is the very best moisturizer and product for your face because it is antiviral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. She ends by saying that “anyone who does these things will no longer have problems with acne.”
I for one thought that putting oil of any kind on my face after years of adhering to a strict oil-free everything regimen would certainly cause a massive breakout… but instead, my skin is glowing, and clearing like I can’t believe. I am excited… especially because these are natural solutions and I’m not spending hundreds of dollars on synthetic products that pour more toxins into my body. I’m loving the results and just had to pass it on. Cheers to your own personal glow!

Namaste,

Long Lost Blogger Mom

So I have had NO time lately to work on my many unfinished blog posts... Ahhhh, the folder under documents that says "Blog Posts" has a dozen or more deep-thought, research ridden nuggets to be shared, and eventually some day I am sure I will get to them each. But for now, I am caught up in the magical mayhem of life with a [nearly] 16 month old, a full school load (online so I can be at home with Mia) and just life.


Mia's first Easter egg hunt! She did such a good job!

Every day I have to adjust and readjust my "to-do" list to make it more manageable, because as a good friend told me at my baby shower, "cross off 'today' and write 'month' at the top of your to-do list... you'll be a happier person." As I have done that, I have also been coming up with various things to make life easier as a Mom and human being; small adjustments and shortcuts and time-savers. I thought I'd share a few with you since I think we're all in the same boat. Forgive the randomness, it is what it is. ;)

Workouts: Yes, working out is still a #1 priority for me. It HAS to be. And anytime that little voice starts to speak up saying that I should be doing something else with my time, I shut it down, because working out (at least for me) is one of the best things that I can do to make life better not only for myself, but for my family. If I've had a chance to burn off some stress, get my blood pumping and serotonin cruising, then I am happier, I am more relaxed, I have more energy and that radiates into my day and those I spend time with. Getting in the workout can be hard, especially with little ones, but it is crucial for your mental state. I have come up with many avenues of getting it in.
1. Jump up first thing in the morning, babies in the jogging stroller and take off running. You can get in an amazing calorie kick and day-long burn if you start with some sprints. Warm up for 5 minutes, then start in on 30 seconds of your fastest sprint possible, then reduce to a slow jog or race walk for 90 seconds. Repeat 8 times and head home! I run along a wall in my neighborhood. And after my 30 seconds of sprinting, I park the stroller and do triceps extensions on the wall, followed by single-leg and formal wall squats.
2. P90X Ab Ripper. This will get your tummy back from baby, and get you a 6 pack you've never seen before. The best part is that this particular segment is only 16 minutes long. I do with Mia climbing all over me after a run, or after I've read her 13 books in a row and need  a break. She is happy and fine to play by herself for 16 minutes while I get in some core work. This is very doable, and if you can work it in 4x/week, you'll have a sculpted core in a couple of weeks. It's amazing! Best ab workout, ever.
3. Stretch with your kid(s). Mia now knows when I am "exercising" or "stretching" and she is starting to get into it. What a good example to set for them about staying physically active and healthy. She loves it when I'm on the floor with her anyway, and throwing her around is almost better then a session of kettlebells (my second fav workout).


Mia swimming with her cousin Mark; she loves the water!

Food:
1. One of my favorite short-cuts lately are lemon cubes! I snagged a bag of lemons off my brother and sis-in-law's trees, came home and juiced the whole bag, and used a couple jars of fresh juice, but froze most of it in ice cube trays, and that has been amazing! I will make a smoothie and toss 1-2 lemon cubes in with a handful of spinach, a dropperful of stevia, green powder, coconut milk, handful of blueberries, and an avocado, and BAM, awesome smoothie. I put a cube in my water with a drop or two of stevia for fresh lemon water, and add a couple mint leaves from my garden. Delicious. I've even added a cube to my vegetable stir fry. They come in really handy.
2. As soon as I get my organic produce for the week, I take the 30-60 minutes when I get home to "prep" it all for fast use during the week. This seems like a pain but it ends up being a huge time saver. I chop melons into cubes and put them in a container, I wash grapes, lettuce, carrots, celery, etc., chop it all and place into separate baggies for easy snacking and access.
3. I make a triple batch of organic quinoa 1-2 times per week. I use chilled quinoa on top of my salads, or I just toss in some cucumber and avocado with the quinoa and drizzle balsalmic on top for a snack. I sautee veggies and eat them over quinoa, or I have quinoa with almond milk and fruit for breakfast. In short, it is an amazing gluten-free, protein rich grain that has proven essential to have ready-to-use in my fridge.

Chores:
1. Yah right! Ha... :) They are never ending, but as long as I get 3 things done everyday, I don't sweat the rest. If those three things happen to be super basic, like Mia's laundry, a load of towels, and a trip to the grocery store, I call it a super day. Don't sweat the small stuff. I focus on the basics -if I can get the floors done and counters disinfected, and a "quick sweep" of the bathrooms, I am learning to live with that for the time being. It just not worth worrying about! Errands I can take Mia with me, and I can involve her in cooking and make it fun, but just take one day at a time and don't worry about what you don't get to.


The best "job" in the world xo

Mia has grown up so much in the past several weeks. She is signing like crazy thanks to the introduction of the Baby Signing Time videos from my girlfriend... Mia signs cat, dog, thank you, please, sleep, poop, eat, all done, more, car, cracker, bird, bunny, frog, horse and many, more, and she gives kisses all day, and blows kisses... it is precious! She talks up a storm, having double the verbal vocabulary as her signing one... saying "flower, butterfly, kiss, dog, Dada, Mama, Gramma, sleep, rest, cracker, more, please, sign, curtain, truck, choo-choo, Kipper, uh-oh, uh-uh, help, stuck, hug, etc. It blows my mind how fast time is going. She runs around in her little pig tails, smiling with blue sparkling eyes... she is getting into coloring, and is growing out of all her baby toys. She is obsessed with her new wagon, and wants nothing more then to be in the water all day... whether it's helping Mommy water the garden and flowers, swimming in the pool, or playing in the bathtub. And who knew how much fun a couple of kitchen utinsels and a bucket of water on the porch could be? And she loves "painting" our brick fireplace with a paint brush and a cup of water (very supervised of course). I am loving every minute of being a Mom, and learning to adjust to life outside of the ridged structure and task-completion that I was once used to.


Becoming quite the little person with a huge personality!

The other day she finally managed to scale the railing of her crib and flipped out. It was horrifying but we managed to get through, with just a bump on the forehead. As I speak a muffin crumbled Mia is looking up at me having just awoken from a nap and had her snack, so I am off once again on the Mommy Marathon, but can do so with more peace then ever knowing that I only have to take things one day at a time.

Namaste,

Recipes: Killer Quinoa Muffins

I got the base of this recipe off the back of my quinoa flakes box, but it needed some serious fixing up. So after I made a couple of changes, and added a thing or two, these muffins were the perfect start to my Sunday, and Mia ate them up. Completely gluten and dairy free, they are rich in protein, and melt in your mouth.

2 Ripe Bananas
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp. Organic Raw Honey
7 drops Liquid Stevia
1 tsp Organic (gluten free) Vanilla
1/2 tsp Pink or Sea Salt
1 tsp Banking soda
2 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 C. Quinoa Flakes
1/2 C. Blanched Almond Flour

Preset oven to 400 degrees. Mash bananas and combine with vanilla, stevia, honey and eggs. Stir together well. Whisk together dry ingredients in separate bowl, then combine all ingredients. Grease muffin tins (I use coconut oil spray) and fill about 2/3 full with batter.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, possibly more or less depending on your oven (start checking about about 13 min). Mine were perfectly done at 15 minutes. Mix it up by trying the recipe with peaches or blueberries, both also SUPER yummy! Also, you can add 2 Tbsp of cacao powder to make them chocolate banana muffins... probably the best thing you'll ever taste muffin-wise. :)

Enjoy!

Namaste,

Recipes: Wonder Wrap of the Week!

What have I been eating for lunch this spring? Lots of "wraps" since my swiss chard grew like a weed, and my Grandmother's as well, so we had to get creative as to how to use it up. Since I am gluten free and don't typically use bread (even the gf stuff is an occasional treat) wrapping things in lettuce, chard and kale has been one way I've done lunches. But this one I've been making for a few weeks takes the cake, so I thought I'd share as summer is fast approaching and cool lunches are a must! Try and make all the ingredients organic, especially the lettuce.

2 large lettuce leaves, your choice, washed
2-3 leaves of swiss chard, stems removed, washed
2-4 slices of organic turkey* (or any meat of of choice, as long as it's ORGANIC; if vegetarian, skip it)
2-4 thin slices of cheddar style goat cheese
Drizzle of Organic Honey Mustard
Several sweet basil leaves, sliced thin, or not

Pile everything in the center of the leaves, and fold like a burrito! Some variations I've done include drizzling balsamic glaze instead of honey mustard, fig infused goat cheese vs. the cheddar style, and I also enjoy adding some sun dried tomatoes!

I have traditionally been vegetarian, or mainly "pesatarian" but lately due to my health issues and the guidance of my naturopath, I've had to incorporate some organic lean meats again. If you are vegan, try omitting the turkey and cheese for jalapeño almond cheese, and replace the turkey/meat with a large sun dried tomato or some grilled portobello slices -also super yum!


Enjoy!

*I'm currently loving Applegate Organics Herb Roasted Turkey slices, they are gluten free too, yum!


Namaste,