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!

some fun

ice and snow

this weekend marks the end of my program that i've been attending the last month. it was an extension of the teacher training i completed last fall. the training was both fun and educational. i was able to gain more confidence, get feedback from my peers/mentors and receive new perspective on teaching yoga. all good things.

this winter, has been my best yet. although, i am not as active or inspired to cook as much i want, i'm very happy with what's going on in my life. working 40+ hours at whole foods, doing teacher training, and having a few classes to teach was difficult, and some days exhausting, but more fun then anything else. i'm glad that training is over so i can have more time to myself. to rededicate to my own yoga practice (that i've been neglecting, a little bit) and utilize my own kitchen instead of the salad bar at work.

these are a few things throughout this week that made me feel good:

fresh air and the snow melting away

getting two scoops of ice cream with good company

viparita karani (legs up the wall) on my breaks at work

spending time with ian