leaving

my car goodies consisted of smoothies, two big salads and dressing, 4 oranges, 2 raw food bars, and spring water.

i haven't truly updated for a few days, but thats because i'm going on a very long vacation. as i said previously i will be at the burning man festival for a week. i will of course be incorporating as much raw goodies i can have my hands on, but will eat some sprouted breads and gluten free dinners. the desert is harsh, but i am finally prepared to be camping for 8 days.

the coolers were packed full of fruits and veggies.

talk to you all when i get back!

life is messy

sometimes life is messy. things are all over the place, and your house in need of picking up. it doesn't matter how healthy you eat, but if things are in disarray your more likely to get frustrated. thats something i saw this week in myself. my life has been busy in plans, lists and well just trying to get everything together before i go on vacation, but it was clearly lacking organization and tidiness.

all it takes sometimes is to go for a walk, even if it's just around your neighborhood. you need that time to yourself to think outside the environment thats unorganized. the second i walked back into my house, i turned up my jams and got to business. i felt confident and inspired to get everything back into order. it sounds a little dramatic, but little steps help a lot.

with that said i'm going to share a (hands on) recipe, and a sweet one to cool down in these august days.

messy kale salad

(serves 2 large portions)

1 head kale

1 tomato

1 avocado

1/2 red onion

1 red bell pepper

juice from 1 lime

pink himalayan sea salt to taste

black pepper to garnish (optional)

chop all of the vegetables into tiny pieces. in a large bowl massage (yes massage) all of the ingredients into the kale. once all combined, let the salad sit. the longer it soaks the more the flavors combine.

massaging the kale allows it to become "wilted" or marinated. it also allows it to be a lot more tasty, and easier to digest!

this salad is incredibly fast to make, super healthy (packed with vitamins k, a, c as well as manganese and dietary fiber) and fun! it's kinda like life, it's messy, but once you can clean up you can enjoy it!

amazon ice cream

(serves 1)

2 bananas, frozen and chopped

2 teaspoons Acai Powder

2 teaspoons raw agave nectar

Food process the bananas alone, until it becomes creamy texture. Then add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until swirled in. You can easily double this recipe, or add any kind of powder you have available to you. Bananas make a versatile base to ice cream.

vendor fair

kaia foods, navitas naturals, nutiva hemp seeds, rhythm chips, raw revolution and pangea organics

i work at whole foods market. every year they throw a big vendor fair for the team members so we can sample to increase product knowledge and get their items into our stores. we also get to meet many of the vendors, or workers in the companies. so it is pretty fun. i of course gravitated towards all of the raw friendly vegan tables.

the new superfood bars by raw revolution

navita's acai powder and raw trail mix with goji berries

i'm really excited to use the acai powder in smoothies this week. it has a full bodied flavor and packed with antioxidants. navitas naturals is one of my favorite companies to purchase my superfoods from.

rhythm kale chips (kool ranch)

one of my favorite packaged raw food was the kale chips by rhythm superfoods . we are new to this product in colorado. i got to try all of the flavors and take this bag home. you can really tell they put a lot of effort into the flavor behind the chips once you taste them. they definitely stand out in flavor v.s. a lot of the kale chips on natural food shelves.

sometimes when you are not in the mood to make raw treats or snacks, getting pre made raw treats is the way to go. there is a growing market and always fresh flavors to try. i don't normally go out of my way to purchase packaged goods, because generally they are pricey and its a lot more fun (and usually tastes better) to make your own. any who!

it was long and fun, and my taste buds were satisfied.

plans

my good friend leah

this week i've been busy planning my trip to burning man. this will be the third time i'm attending the festival. i could go into detail, but that would take me forever to explain. so in short its an annual arts festival in the nevada desert. i will be camping from august 3oth - september 6th under the most gorgeous stars in a post lake remote location. its a pretty radical place to get inspired and be part of a very magical community.

part of going on trips is planning ahead of time. it's something i value and helps organize the agenda. the majority of the time i go with the flow because you never know what life throws at you, but preparation is a very important part of making healthy goals happen in general. i'm grateful to go with a group who have the same intentions and are just as excited as me to experience the festival.

i just have to say, i have been blessed with spectacular friendships!

now for two very simple, yet delicious recipes!

happy tomato salad (lebanese inspired)

(serves 2)

1 small cucumber (i peeled the skin of mine, but not necessary)

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1 medium onion chopped

6 basil leaves, or mint. (i used purple basil form the farmers market)

Juice from half a lemon

dash of pink himalayan sea salt

black pepper to garnish

combine all ingredients and toss in a large salad bowl. this is very quick recipe to throw together and features a large array of vegetables.

sweet and summer smoothie

(makes 2 16oz servings)

2 bananas chopped and frozen

1/2 cup frozen chopped pineapple

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

2 heaping tablespoons raw shelled hemp seeds

6 basil leaves (i used purple basil)

30 oz distilled water

drizzle of raw agave nectar

pinch of pink himalayan sea salt

shredded coconut to garnish (optional)

yum! the hemp seeds are a good addition not only for the protein, but for the essential amino acids which make it a complete protein. they are also a good source of iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. every time i add the seeds i feel a good energy within myself.

simple things

keeping the fridge full of fresh veggies is key to having good lunches for the day

today i woke up refreshed, hearing all of the beautiful insects chirping outside my window. in the summer time i like to keep my windows open because the breeze feels so nice while your sleeping.

green smoothie that consisted of kale, hemp seeds, cucumbers and pineapple

i got to work pretty early, enough time to think to myself before starting my shift. giving yourself some time to stretch or calm your mind makes the biggest difference in the world.

blueberries and an avocado

spinach salad with almonds, gypsy peppers, green onions, and cucumbers w/ raw coconut vinegar

i've been eating cucumbers in everything lately. the taste is so refreshing! packing a lunch ahead of time is a good way to keep yourself from grazing at work. i always choose to bring a big salad and some fresh fruit. the blueberries were ripe and juicy. i think they would have to be my favorite!

heirloom and cherry tomatoes

but today was great. although work was long and tedious something happened that i didn't expect. my friend's mother came in and brought me all of these beautiful tomatoes from her garden. although cliche, the simple things in life really matter the most. like when people share their love even in the tiniest ways! the tomatoes were a very good surprise! needless to say, they taste vibrant and will be put in almost everything i'm making this week since she gave me such a large amount.

people make me smile.

Cacao Plum Intention

organic red plums, only $5 for 5lbs. buying in season produce is always the way to go.

one of the first things i did today was go to yoga at the earliest hours of the morning. it makes you feel so strong and the dedication you give to yourself that early in the morning are the gears that turn the rest of the day. it's a great feeling to be part of a community all sharing one goal. to better yourself and breathe consciously for even just an hour. our instructor talked a lot about setting intention and using it as a power to gain control of your life positively.

It's something said a lot in yoga, but really diving into that intention can be easier said then done. How often do we assume the worst case scenario? Well, from here I will better myself by being thankful and letting my assumptions go. It truly helps a lot. Now for the yummy part of the morning.

Cacao Plum Intention

(makes 2 16oz servings)

2 Frozen and cut bananas

1 avocado

1 large red or black plum

1 tablespoon of Garden of Life Raw Protein Powder

1 tablespoon raw cacao powder

Pinch of pink Himalayan Sea salt

28 ounces of distilled water

chopped almonds to garnish

This smoothie is rich in flavor. I added the Raw Protein Powder for my post yoga protein. The plums add a nice sweetness and actually blends well with the creaminess of it all.

lunch time

spinach salad with onion, cucumber and parsley/ local cantaloupe

what i enjoy about salads is the versatility and flavor combinations you can make. i tend to listen to what my body craves by keeping a fridge full of fresh organic veggies and fruit. here i tossed the salad with pink himalayan sea salt and raw coconut vinegar. so amazing. i generally like to add raw nuts to all of my salad for the extra protein, but for this salad i added taco nut meat from ani pho's blog.

On the side i enjoyed some of colorado's rocky ford melon. These melons are full of flavor and have the perfect amount of sweetness. Good source for both vitamin a and c! I look forward to them every year!

add meyer lemons to your carafe for sweet and cleansing water

I always look forward to lunch time. It gives us a moment in the middle of the day to refuel our bodies and listen to what we need for the night.

open doors

there i was at the footsteps of a new world. ready to seek healthy options, challenge myself, listen to my body and appreciate all of the beautiful things life has to offer.

i won't talk about my past to much, but life has a funny way of opening it's door at times when your ready to take the next step. i feel grateful to internalize the world around me, and live in the present moment.

friendly eating isn't about eating 100% raw, or adhering to rules and lifestyles. it's about looking into yourself and connecting to the light you posses. the light that shines is truly amazing! here i will post the answers i seek and the moments of love i find day to day.

please join in by commenting and sharing your experiences, recipes and stories with me!