Bliss Tea - calm me down potion.

Life has been hectic lately (which is kind of great) but, I'm finding it difficult to unwind at the end of the day (or even while sitting quietly at my desk) --- too much brain buzz. I am battling a jumpy feeling that edges on panic because there is a lot to do. I decided to do today's post  on my recipe for Bliss Tea - a perfect calm me down potion (don't worry I haven't forgotten about my pickled kale - coming!).

Bliss Tea

• 3 Dried Rose Hips split open
• 1tsp Chamomile Blossoms
• 2 Sage Leaves (broad leaf)
• 1tsp dried lemon peel (I save my orange/lemon/lime skins and zest them. I dry the zest in my dehydrator - good for all sorts of things)
• 1/2tsp raw honey (if you do honey - if not try a little maple syrup) or a slice of lemon is nice too.

Enough for 1-2 large mugs (I use a little glass bodum style tea pot to make mine) but will also work in a tea ball or using a bamboo tea strainer. Let sit at least 3 minutes before drinking

Pickled Kale

 

A great way to use kale - keeps in the fridge for up 2 weeks. Yummy thrown into salads - not at all woody or bitter (I'll be posting some recipes - soon:). BTW the stick in the jar is my spurdle (traditional Scottish porridge-stirring stick - I use it ALL the time for various stuff in the kitchen) basically just a piece of dowling that has been buffed and rounded on the edge - I used it to pack the kale & onions down into the jar.

Pickled Kale

• One large bunch of kale shredded (cut out the ribs)
• 1/2 medium onion sliced (I used red but I think a yellow onion would probably be really tasty too)
• 1tsp of salt
• 1/4c olive oil
• 1tbsp maple syrup
• 2 to 3C of apple cider vinegar or ume plum vinegar

Mix olive oil, maple syrup and salt together in a bowl add kale use your hands and massage into the kale until limp pour ACV  or  ume vinegar over all and mix well. Pack well into a mason jar put on lid and store in fridge until needed. Let sit at least 2 or 3 hours before using.

The idea for pickling Kale comes from the Choose Healthy Food website (I've tweaked the recipe a bit to make it raw) - lots of Kale ideas here!

Smiling

So excited to see my recipe for Shredded Broccoli Salad in the Crazy Sexy Life newsletter today! They even used my photo. I am smiling like a sunflower.

Burning Bridges - Moving forward

"We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered."

Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

If you haven't heard of Chris Pureka yet check her out. Love the quote too...
Taking a little time today to think about the bridges I've crossed and the one's I've chosen to burn behind me (like the bridge back into eating animal products) Another favourite song below by Jimmy Cliff...

Tweek Tweek

As you may have noticed I'm doing some tweeking to my blog - my apologies if things are a bit wacky for the next couple of days and I tidy and sort :)

Things are changing - The mighty Opes speaks up for animals

 
As most of us know Oprah announced she was going on a 21 day Vegan cleanse awhile ago after rereading "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. Oprah said on her show, "How can you say you're trying to spiritually evolve, without even a thought about what happens to the animals whose lives are sacrificed in the name of gluttony?"  With people who influence public opinion like Ellen Degeneres & Oprah going on air and speaking out publicly against what we are doing to animals maybe people will finally wake up and say enough.


Things are changing... Can you feel it? Choosing to believe.

Just One Word

 I came across this idea on Raw Food Rehab and thought it was such a good one I'd pass it along by reposting it here. The original idea comes from the book Wisdom Walks in the chapter “Just One Word.” by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page. The idea is you pick a word (just one) that will help you give more meaning and focus to the year. Don't just pick a word at random really think about it first.

The word I've picked popped into my head quickly because so far this year this word/concept keeps coming at me from all over the place - and no it isn't sale (but that is a pretty great word too no?). My word is Compassion - by that I mean I will try to be more compassionate to everyone who comes in to my life this year (& to those who are already there) and let go of my own agenda more when dealing with others - try to really listen and focus on who they are and where they are coming from - furry friends too :). The poster on the Rehab site had his family each paint a plaque with their word on it and has them hanging in their home as a reminder (another great idea).

Wolf Moon - Full Moon in Cancer

This year's first full moon is in Cancer at 1:21pm PST today.
The full moon in Cancer asks us to use our emotional intuition a little more (feminine side). We are encouraged to find a balanced between our hearts and minds. Be open/receptive to change and sensitive to the needs of those around you. Focus on finishing up projects, final touches and completion before Jupiter enters Aries and the pace picks up again!

Something I'm becoming more interested in is the use of herbs/foods that are supposed to be beneficial during certain times of year or are associated with certain planets/moon phases. Traditionally herbs that are said help us emotionally, increase our intuition /sensitivity are moon based herbs.

Some of these are:
Anise Seed, Star Anise, Cabbage, Camphor, Cucumber, Dog Rose, Ginger, Jasmine, Lettuce, Water Lily, Pumpkin, White Rose, Wild Rose, Sea Salt, Watercress & Wintergreen.  

I'm posting a recipe for Wolf Moon bath salts which incorporates some of these things.  I've posted before about how much I enjoy using bath salts . Epsom salts are full of magnesium and sulfates (which can be absorbed through the skin easily) -- I've linked my old post on epsom salts to the word bath salts above if you are interested.

Wolf Moon Bath Salts

• 2C Epsom Salts
• 1C Sea Salt
• 1 drop of ginger essential oil (or 2 slices of fresh ginger)
• 1 drop of rose essential oil (or a dash of rose water if you made some in the fall --- have to find the post I did on this as well and I'll link it - I used Wild Rose so I have some of this at home)
• 1 drop of Jasmine Essential or Wintergreen essential oil (which ever tickles your fancy I prefer wintergreen - I think it goes well with the ginger)

Pour Sea and Epsom Salts into a large glass jar like - put on the lid and give it a good shake. Take the lid off and put in essential oils don't over do it with essential oils or your salts will be too strong. Put the lid back on give it another shake and let the scent do its thing.When you go to have your bath pour in the salts throw in a few slices of ginger (and the dash of rose water if not using rose essential oil) and marinate yourself for a nice longish time...

An old post I did on eating according to the phases of the moon

Flax Seeds - Hot Flashes and Thyroid

For anyone who has experienced hot flashes due to menopause or from an over active thyroid - I stumbled across some information the other day that may be of interest...

According to a study done at the Mayo Clinic women suffering from hot flashes were asked to supplement their diet with 4 tablespoons of crushed flax a day. Each of the women studied were postmenopausal and each was experiencing at least 14 hot flashes a week (none were on hormone replacement therapy). According to the study "after just 6 weeks the severity and number of their hot flashes dropped by 50%" (Source: Prevention Guide 10/21/08).

Crushed Flax seeds are the richest plant based source of Omega 3 essential fatty acid (ALA). Flax contains molecules that block several estrogen receptors which reduce estrogenic stimulation of the body, especially in the mammary glands and prostate. Taking flax has been linked to slowing down the growth of tumors in breast and prostate cancers, and reduces cholesterol and the rise of blood-sugar levels.

Eat flax by crushing fresh seeds in a coffee grinder (better than taking the oil more nutrients!). Flax can go rancid quickly (will smell like paint thinner) so be sure to grind them fresh and keep the seeds in your fridge.

Caution: don't eat more than 3 or 4T of raw flax seeds a day - 1 or 2 might be enough for you (start slow so you don't upset your stomach). Flax contain cyanogen which is fine in small doses, but in large amounts can keep your thyroid from absorbing enough iodine. 

Flax seeds are great in raw crackers, smoothies, shaken up in your morning juice or sprinkled over cereal or fruit.

More things I love - A Hundred Years from Today

What a nice cover of this song (most probably have heard the Dean Martin Version)
 The singer is Bobby Long at a private house party in Seattle

"Hey don't save your kisses - just pass 'em around
You'll find my reason - is logically sound
Who's gonna know that you passed them around
A hundred years from today
And why crave a penthouse - that's fit for a queen
You're nearer heaven - on mamma Earth's green
If you had millions - what would they all mean
One hundred years from today
So (Hey) laugh and sing - make love the thing
Be happy while you may
('Cause) There's always one - beneath the sun
Who's bound to make you feel that way
The moon is shining - and that's a (very) good sign
Cling to me closer - say (that) you'll be mine
Remember baby we won't see it shine
A hundred years from today
A hundred years from today"

Boxing, juicing & thinking

I've been preparing for a fast this past week - juicing during the day light raw meals at night. I like to take on more yoga while I'm fasting to keep myself moving in a gentle way but, this time around I've elected to do a boxing class - totally new experience - (pretty high energy) 2 times a week - think Rocky training montages - lots of skipping running around air punching and boxing at a bag sort of thing. I'm planning to do a combo of juice feasting/water fasting for the next month or two to try and boost up my immune system again. Yoga/boxing and some weight training. I had no idea boxing was so complicated I feel like I'm learning new dance steps - my mid section seems to be getting a pretty good workout and I can do 5 fairly decent man style push ups now (don't laugh - I'm working on it!). Hopefully my energy will stay high... thinking I'll stick to juice on boxing days. I'll post a bit here and there as I go on how it goes.

Inspiration

Just a heads up that I've just created a new page called "Inspiration" on the site. I'll be adding to it - the first people on my list are the Rainoshecks.. I think I'll add other things that inspire in next few days as well - books, some great vegan cookbooks, raw prep books and the like. My thoughts on this are these people (and soon the books) have helped and inspired me on my journey - maybe by creating these pages I can help someone else to some amazing resources as well.

David and Katrina Rainosheck

What can I say these people changed my life. I'm so grateful I stumbled on their website a few years ago. My first thoughts were juice for 92 days that is insane - how wrong I was. How much I learned! Their pay site btw is worth every penny. I'm so glad I went down the path David pointed me to through his site.

Their website: http://www.juicefeasting.com/

Slogging along - ramble

Completely off topic BUT... Have you ever had one of those days, months, years where you feel like your feet are stuck in quick sand? You want to move quickly so you don't sink but, know that the best thing to do is probably stay still calm down and scout around for a vine or tree branch to pull yourself out with? But what if you don't find that branch or vine? What if you wait so long looking for that branch that you sink? Maybe lots of frantic movement is the answer in the end? K I'm rambling - but here is the thing. I'm feeling stuck - with me that presents as itchy feet - so maybe Morocco in the spring. Until then I need to find my centre so I guess it is juice time - and back to meditation and yoga. Oh and my new thing - boxing - what a great workout! feeling kind of ninja like with my black handwraps.

Southwestern Blackbeans & Rice 50/50

 

This type of salad is a staple for me in the winter. I've mentioned before that in the fall/winter I've taken to adding cooked food into my diet because I feel it is more practical given the climate I live in - this salad is a 50/50 of raw and cooked ingredients. It is low in fat, high in protein and very filling AND my first not all raw recipe that I'm posting here. So what do you think? I'm not sure if I should continue posting this sort of thing because up until now I've only posted raw recipes - torn!

Southwestern Black Beans & Rice 50/50

• 2C mixed wild rice
• 2C cooked  black beans
• 2C RAW corn (from the cob:)
• 4 stalks celery chopped
• 1/4C fresh parsley or cilantro chopped fine
• 1/2 C onion chopped
• 1 medium tomato
• 1small yellow/orange pepper
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2T olive oil
• 1tsp salt
• 1tsp cayanne 
• Juice from 1 medium lime (about 1/2C)

Cook rice and beans. In a high speed blender or  food processor blend together garlic, olive oil, salt, cayanne, lime juice and tomato until smooth - mix fresh veggies, rice and beans pour tomato/lime dressing over and mix well. Eat warm or good chilled. Also great with quinoa instead of rice.

I am enough

A Ted Talk on vunerability - thanks Molly.

More things I love... 21 Day Vegan Kickstart

 

How great is this? There are apps for your iphone or itouch free meal planing and shopping lists - breakdowns of how many calories your vitamins/minerals for the day and on and on did I mention it's free? Great for newbie Vegans or for people who have been on the bandwagon for awhile and are looking for some meal planning ideas - link below...  btw this is vegan but not raw (some of the recipes are) - loving it all the same.

21 Day Vegan Kickstart

More things I love - Will I be Pretty - Katie Makkai

I love this angry, wonderful poem and the passion Katie Makkai delivers it with. I have to admit it made me cry - exactly the reminder I needed right now about the things that matter and the things that shouldn't.