happy belated valentines

ian gave me the sweetest star wars valentine

happy belated valentines! i had a really good time. there was yummy food, cute valentines day cards, mustaches and time spent with good company.

organic italian parsley

spicy red pepper pesto

(serves 2-4)

1/2 cup walnuts

1 cup roasted red peppers, drained

1/2 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup parsley

1-2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

several pinches of black pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

pinch of pink himalayan sea salt

start by processing the walnuts, red peppers, basil, garlic and parsley. Then add the spices and olive oil until well mixed. Good as a dip or over bite sized pasta. I used a gluten free rotini for last nights dinner. This recipe could totally be made raw, by using a whole fresh bell pepper.

candles

i don't normally celebrate to many holidays, but last night was fun. it was great to both cook and to un-cook, especially in the next recipe's case...

raw banana cacao pie

(serves 2)

cacao/ banana filling:

2 bananas

1 avocado

1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil

1 heaping tablespoon raw cacao powder

1 banana, sliced thinly

shredded raw coconut to garnish

pecan crust:

1/4 cup pecans

1/2 cup deglet noor dates, pitted

1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil

pinch of pink himalayan sea salt

this is quite a simple recipe to make. i used a regular old bowl for the mold of the pie. start by processing the 2 bananas, avocado, evco, and raw cacao powder until you have a thick and mousse like consistency. pour into a a bowl lined with parchment paper. along the top place the thinly slice bananas on top of the mixture. let this firm up in the freezer for about 1-2 hours. While the cacao banana filling is freezing, process the pecans, dates, evco and salt. It will be a crumble like texture. When the filling is firmed up place the crust on top of the bananas and firmly pack it in. Cover and freeze for another 2-3 hours. When ready to serve pull the parchment paper from the edges so the pie pops out, and place onto a plate. gently peel away the paper to reveal your delicious treat. I garnished the pie with raw shredded coconut.

sorry for all the iPhone pictures. I stepped on my digital camera and the screen is broken. I am going to replace it one of these days. anyways, off to yoga!

healthy at work/ sweet saturday

spinach salad w/ red cabbage, garbanzo beans, and nuts/ seeds

i find myself at this place constantly. because, i work at a grocery store and am surrounded by food all day long. when i'm at work i tend to eat a lot more then i usually would and sometimes food i normally wouldn't. although, there are a lot of healthy options my body screams for sweets and it's salty counterpart.

i know there are many people who are faced with this. whether your stuck behind a desk, standing all day folding clothes, or crafting at home. what can we do to maintain healthy lifestyles at work? be prepared! for me i find that these contribute to a better day:

- eating a breakfast with protein (raw almond butter with bananas)

- make trail mixes that have my favorite combinations (mostly goji berries and sunflower seeds)

- pack large salads with variety of nuts, seeds and fresh veggies (like the one above)

- stay hydrated all day long

- yoga and or running/walking before work to activate the digestive system and speed up the metabolism

i find that when i stick to a pattern the results are apparent. i am content with my day and i stay focused on what i need to v.s. what my next meal is going to be.

fighting unhealthy relationships with food can be hard, but we get to practice at least three times a day. ☺

I love my cusinart

now that i have made healthier decisions at work all week, i go straight into dessert recipes for the weekend. we all deserve to have sweets!

pecan mini bites with cacao coconut sauce

(makes about 15 squares)

mini bites:

1/4 cup pecans

1/4 cup thompson raisins

5 pitted medjool dates

1 tablespoon shredded coconut

1/2 tablespoon raw cashew butter

pinch of pink himalayan sea salt

cacao coconut sauce:

1 tablespoons raw cacao powder

1/2 tablespoon raw agave nectar

1 teaspoon extra virgin coconut oil

process all of the ingredients together until well combined. remove from food processor and cut into equal parts. flatten into bars and square off the edges.

for the sauce melt extra virgin coconut oil, and combine well with agave and cacao powder.

spread sauce over bars and cut into mini bites. garnish with shredded coconut. to set the bars refrigerate for a few hours.

all natural satsumas

satsuma tangerines were on like SUPER sale this week, only 69 cents a pound. with that said i will be eating satsumas for the following few days. i also made a raw ice cream with these delights.

tangerine dream

3 bananas (chopped and frozen)

1 large satsuma tangerine

1/2 tablespoon raw agave nectar

pinch of himalayan sea salt

process bananas alone until you have a "soft serve" like consistency. add the rest of the ingredients and pulse into the soft serve.

have a good weekend. ☺

gluten free spaghetti marinara & my tree

organic crimini mushrooms, crookneck squash and zucchini squash

today i had a craving. nothing that raw foods could replace. i kept having these memories of my dad's spaghetti as a kid. my dad is certainly not gourmet by any means, but with grocery shopping, washing our clothes, working full time and making us dinner he certainly put tremendous effort to the dishes he made us all. totally simple, but spaghetti i think is something we all should know how to make.

fresh spinach and basil

in honor of that memory i chose to make a gluten free and totally delicious version of the base recipe i've grown to know. the pans above were a christmas present from my father a couple christmas back. although they don't see much light due to the rawness in my healthy eating journey they are totally awesome. free of teflon, ergonomic and no release of fumes or dyes..

spaghetti marinara with veggies

1 package of gluten free pasta (i like ancient harvest quinoa pasta)

1 15oz can tomato sauce (i use muir glen organics)

1 6oz can tomato paste (i use muir glen organics)

2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil

1 onion, chopped

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small zucchini squash, chopped

1 small yellow crookneck squash, chopped

handful of crimini mushrooms, chopped

handful of torn spinach

5-4 leaves fresh basil

1 1/2 tablespoon of dried basil

1/2 tablespoon dried thyme

1/4 tablespoon dried sage

1/4 teaspoon crushed chili pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan sea salt

crushed black pepper to taste

preheat a saucepan over medium-low heat. add oil and garlic and onions and saute for about 2 minutes. add the cut veggies and saute for another 3-5 minutes. when the veggies become tender add the sauce and paste with all of the spices. add the fresh basil and spinach and combine well. cover and raise the heat to bring to a simmer. simmer for about 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally.

while the marinara is simmering is a good time to prepare the pasta. optional, but for extra flavor add salt to the boiling water before adding the pasta.

when both pasta and sauce are ready combine well and garnish with pepper.

my christmas tree

seeing as my studio apartment is relatively small i can't equip it with a full size tree. and to be honest i don't have the means of transporting one. i did find this awesome stump by a park in my neighborhood though.

room to grow

goofy post yoga glow

we all need to laugh a little. and at ourselves is what i mean. in the last few yoga classes i found myself intently focused on postures (heavy face) that i wanted to go deeper into, and when i fell out of them (literally on my butt) all i could do is laugh! it's such a great feeling. to just laugh out loud and reset our mind. my philosophy is: if you can't laugh at yourself, then you are taking life to seriously.

we internalize so much crap in our daily life, sometimes it's hard to find laughter or happiness inside of ourselves. all of the built up stress and self conscious, where does it go? all i can say is nowhere safe if it never comes out. i think when we can just smile at things that drive us crazy we are able to let go of so much pressure we build up. how simple of an exercise. but it works! it's hard work to get to that point though. breathing and a little patience go along way.

with that said, we have to be patient with ourselves. to give ourselves the time to grow and to learn our own lessons. i find that we can ruin progress simply by wanting more, or rushing to get to our 'finishing' points. there is no finish. everyday is a new day, and a new set of challenges. the challenges that move us emotionally, align our passions or give us the room to grow into better versions of ourselves. we have to acknowledge our progress in the present moment first though.☺

gt's synergy: trilogy and sale produce!

after leaving yoga this early morning, i rode over to work early and had a bit of breakfast. gt's kombucha finally came back into the stores here in denver! i really love this product it always has the perfect amount of flavor and carbonation.

this was not part of my day, but i've been making these yummy shakes when i've been craving chocolate. which has been a lot... this shake is not to disappoint. it's so creamy and delicious. i love it when it gets a little frothy at the top. ☺

banana cinnamon shake

(makes 2 16oz servings)

4-5 frozen and chopped bananas

28 oz distilled water

1 tablespoon raw cacao powder

1 heaping tablespoon raw hemp seeds or chopped walnuts

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of pink himalayan sea salt

blend all of the ingredients together and enjoy!

seven things you don't know about me

recently i was tagged in a post at addicted to veggies so i wanted to share seven things you probably don't know about me:

friends

1. i am so blessed with the most beautiful set of people in my life. i get to hang out with the most diverse and radical people every day. often i find myself calling my friendships, "creationships" because i'm surrounded by people who share their passions and unconditional love.

my father

2. i have the most supportive, loving and caring father. he is an abundant source of insight and has allowed me to think freely ever since i was a child. this man his given his heart to his family before anything and makes it his job to see his children succeed in happiness.

reading

3. i love to get lost in stories. become part of other realms and live in fantasies far from the world we are from.

rain

4. one thing i really appreciate is rain. i love to walk outside when it's pouring, and jump in all of the puddles. it's a good feeling to let go of all self conscious and act exactly how your heart wants to. to achieve that free feeling you have when you are a child.

lost

5. i love to spend my time alone wandering around in familiar places getting lost in my own head. listening to everything i have to say and allowing myself to internalize the world around me. i like to find strange things people don't look twice at, and interact with beautiful things that uplift my emotions.

nature

6. i am conscious for my planet, because the root of my passions are all because of it. i love animals and our planet universally and appreciate the resources i am given. i love to play and adapt to all of the different environments our world has to offer.

and last but not least, i love love love, banana soft serve ice cream:

chocolate cashew soft serve

(serves 2)

3 bananas (chopped and frozen)

2 tablespoons raw cashew butter

1 heaping tablespoon raw cacao powder

1/2 tablespoon raw agave nectar

process bananas alone until it becomes creamy texture. then add the rest of the ingredients and pulsed until swirled in. delicious!

breath

rainbow chard

this week has been especially tough. i started teacher training for yoga this week and have been working late most days. i don't have to much free time to think. in the midst of it all i've been forgetting to just stop and breathe. its surprising how much breathing effects our day to day life. how it effects the way we process things, or our energy levels throughout the day. just taking a second to realign your breath and listen to your body is especially hard when your working retail! i've been catching myself getting overwhelmed and telling myself "its okay, your doing all good things." and that generally changes my mood.

but today i got to catch up on some much needed rest and also adventure into making things i was craving! on my days off i like to challenge myself with recipes as well as creating new ones.

rolling almond pate veggie nori rolls

inspired by ani phyo's blog

nut free crust

after leaving my friend jackie's house the other night i was craving some more fruit tart, so with inspiration from hers i created one myself this morning to freeze. (the picture below is pre-freeze so it was still a bit gooey) i tried to keep it like the original with a few friendly eating modifications.

mango breath fruit tart

(serves 4)

crust:

3 cups sunflower seeds

2 cups dates

3 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons shredded coconut

2 tablespoons raw agave nectar

pinch of pink himalayan sea salt

filling:

2 bananas

1 large mango

topping:

3 kiwis (or any cut fruit)

start by processing sunflower seeds and dates. add the rest of the crust ingredients and pulse until well combined. press the crust mixture into a pie plate and set in refrigerator to set. next process or blend bananas and mango together. pour filling into crust mixture and let freeze for a few hours and then serve. i topped mine with kiwis, but you can use any other fruit you would like. enjoy !

if your taking a picture, make sure you don't drop your camera into the tart like i did.

now i'm off to take a nap, do some om work (home work for yoga school) play some ukulele and get into empire strikes back with a bowl of banana soft serve. ☺

mind

my new ukulele/ best friend

once you've set your mind towards something and have free and willing intention the easier things become. a year ago i tried to play guitar and i expected to much that i really didn't connect to it because of my lack of faith in myself. growing up and just a lot of different situations i've been in, i've realized that being self conscious definitely is the biggest road block between us and what we want to accomplish. it's not something new, but something never really acknowledged to often.

coming home from my trip with tons of magic and inspiration i set my mind to new things. i've picked up this instrument and really have been focused on chord work and practicing songs, and i'm really starting to strum along. it's amazing how much progress i've made just in a few days. the difference between the years is black and white. i care more about having fun then being great and thats a whole other lesson in itself.

what if we could have this focus for everything in our life. i think we can! really i do! just imagine if we stopped doubting ourselves and just kicked it in to gear! a lot of vibrant things would get done.

now for a sweet and sour concoction i whipped up a few times this week:

three berries in mind

(makes 2 16oz servings)

3 frozen and chopped bananas

28oz distilled water

hand full of raw cashews

3 tablespoons goji berries

1/4 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 cup frozen cranberries

pinch of pink himalayan sea salt

1 tablespoon acai powder (optional)

start by pulsing goji berries, cashews and acai powder (optional) alone. one pulsed into a powder add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth consistency!

time

i freeze a week of bananas for ice cream, smoothies and other recipes.

i've had the past couple days to really enjoy time to myself. i straightened up and got all of my busy errands done, took a few yoga classes and really made some yummy food.

it's good to really take advantage of the time you have because we are generally working or our and about. one thing i've been trying really hard to do is to maximize my free time so i'm doing something crafty versus watching movies or on the internet all the time. all of that raw energy keeps me going, serious!

my spiralizer (really awesome $30 investment!)

i like to add zucchini noodles to my salads for an extra crunch!

arugula/ spinach salad with flax seeds

I dressed it up with some creamy cashew dill sauce inspired by:

choosing raw, although i added some black pepper

and for a good quick recipe that i feel everyone should be able to create is:

simple guacamole

(makes 2 servings)

1 avocado

juice from 1 lemon

handfull of grape tomatoes

1/4 cup cilantro

1 teaspoon raw agave nectar

pink himalayan sea salt/ black pepper to taste

pit and chop avocado and place into bowl. mash well with juice from the lemon. you want a thick texture, but not to mushy. from here, place the rest of the ingredients and mix well!

our time to ourselves is precious. when we get our space to think and be ourselves some really creative stuff happens.

what i love

early wednesday farmers market is less crowded then the weekend.

what i love is getting to spend time with people i love. early this morning i went to yoga with one of my good friends piper. she has amazing energy and glad she is around. getting back into my routine has been easy with the support from the lovely people in my life and having a few days to myself to gather, clean and decompress from my vacation.

i am blessed with good light!

getting a good start to the morning energizes me for the rest of the day. i was able to go to the farmers market and pick all of my yummy fresh food for the week. what i did was really listen to what my body wanted, and i was surprised at what came out. i was craving onions, peppers and basil!

with an assortment of veggies and fruits i came home feeling inspired to create a herbed cream "cheese." so delicious!

true love herbed cream cheese

(makes 1 cup serving)

1 cup cashews (soaked for at least 2 hours)

2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan sea salt

6 basil leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

3 sprigs of minced parsley

juice from 1/2 lemon

pepper to garnish (optional)

once cashews are drained, process alone until you have a powder. add the rest of the ingredients and pulse together until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.

- soaking nuts neutralize enzyme inhibitors and encourage good production of beneficial enzymes. soaking increases the vitamins and makes the nut much easier to digest. ideally you would want to soak longer, but a couple hours works. i generally have various nuts soaking the night before a day of recipes.

this makes a good dip for cut veggies, or a spread for crackers and bread. i generally double this recipe so i can have a good spread for the week!

welcome home

salad, fruit and local kombucha at watercourse foods

today is my first day back into the real world. let me tell you i had an amazing time. i'm just so thankful to have had the experience once again. i was able to maintain a very healthy diet and enjoy the company of so many beautiful people. there will be a whole post on my thoughts and eating at burning man, so look forward to that.

being in the rv for over 24 hours after a week of desert camping was pretty hard. we had very little food left and we were starting to get creative.. i.e. raw cashew butter banana raisin sandwiches on sprouted grain bread! after the travel and getting everything sorted i took one long shower and washed away all of the desert that came home with me. needless to say i was barely ready to prepare anything for myself so i headed over to watercourse and got a very yummy salad with arugula, olives, house sauerkraut and avocado.

watercourse foods is a vegetarian restaurant here in denver. they offer some really awesome gluten free options as well as a mainly vegan menu.

one thing i was craving was something i make pretty regularly a recipe i've perfected over time.. it seriously only takes about 10 minutes or less to prepare.

welcome home truffles

(makes 10-12)

truffles

1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 2 hours)

10-12 pitted medjool dates

1 tablespoon raw cacao powder

1 heaping tablespoon raw hemp seeds

2 tablespoons raw agave nectar

pinch of himalayan sea salt

1/4 cup raw sesame seeds to garnish

sauce (optional)

2 tablespoons raw agave nectar

1 tablespoon cacao powder

drain the raw cashews and process alone. once cashews are processed add additional ingredients. process until well combined. (i use a tablespoon to pre measure small increments of truffles) hand roll the 'dough' into balls. from here you can dip them into the sesame seeds. let the truffles sit in the refrigerator to set.

for the sauce simply stir the nectar and powder together. this is completely optional, but works well on raw ice creams!

if you want to add a rich flavor try adding 1 tablespoon of raw almond butter. yum!

anyways, it's good to be back home. i have a few days before work, but theres a lot i need to do to catch up.

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.

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.

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.