A Grateful Life

Roasted Cauliflower

2012-01-23T16:42:00.000-08:00

Let's face it, cauliflower is like the ugly step child of vegetables. If it were in gym class it would be last picked for the team. Cauliflower would have to sit on the back of the bus, and would have no one to push him on the swing. For years it's gotten shoved aside on veggie platters and mashed up with potatoes to hide the flavor, while we've cuddled and savored it's more colorful and flavorful veggie playmates. It's unfortunate too, as cauliflower has a WEALTH of healthy benefits, AND prepared right it actually is really, really good!

One cup of cauliflower will provide you 85% of your Recommended Daily Intake of Vitamin C....did you hear that? 85%!! Yet have you ever heard anyone suggest you eat cauliflower when you are sick? Plus as an excellent source of Vitamin K and Omega 3's (yes, you heard that right, cauliflower contains omega 3's!), cauliflower provides us with one of the hallmark anti-inflammatory nutrients. What more? It's low in calories and high in fiber. Who doesn't love that?

You can click on the link below the photo above for Whole Living's basic roasted cauliflower recipe. I've made this many times, always using different spices. Last night was the best batch i've ever made.

Here's the recipe:

One head of cauliflower, chopped
Olive Oil Spray
onion powder
garlic powder
celery salt
black pepper
sea salt
liquid stevia

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the cauliflower on a parchment lined pan. Mist lightly with olive oil. Squirt a few drops of liquid stevia into your palm and gently toss cauliflower. Shake the seasonings listed above over cauliflower, lightly toss, and roast for about 15-20 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.

These are great as a side dish, but i love making it as a healthy snack!

Parfait Mania

2012-01-16T13:55:00.000-08:00

green apple, plain yogurt sweetened with vanilla stevia, granola

I'm into it. I love building parfaits. They are so pretty to serve and really fun to eat. So many flavors and textures to prance on your palette. Layer berries, fruits, granola, nuts, seeds, and don't forget your creamy layer (as if you could forget that!). Your creamy layer can be yogurt (check out green valley for lactose free dairy yogurt), chia pudding (let chia set in almond milk overnight or increase amount of chia to make it thick quicker), or cashew cream (recipe below).

Pick your favorite glass or jar and start by adding a layer of berries or chopped fruit, add a layer of nuts/seeds/muesli or granola, and then a few spoonfuls of your creamy filling. Start the layering over again, ending with berries, granola, or both. I love to add a few dried cranberries at the top.

thawed frozen blueberries, cashew cream, granola, banana

Now stick your spoon in.....deep....and get a good whalloping of parfait maddness in your face.

So Delish!

Cashew Cream
This was the exact recipe i used but feel free to use just one type of stevia or agave instead, and vanilla extract instead of the paste:

1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 drops vanilla stevia
4 drops plain stevia

If you soak your cashews you may need slightly less water.

mmmmmmmmmm

"The Chelator" Detox Smoothie & Bouncing Back From Holiday Fare

2012-01-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

I found this snapshot on Pinterest - such a great tutorial on green drinks!

The holidays came and went, and left me behind feeling a bit run down. Time to Bounce Back with a little detox, rest, and some solid nutrition! My days lately are filled with produce....FILLED. Breakfast is a detox green smoothie (recipe below) or raw veggies and salsa, lunch not much different but may include a bit of protein (egg white or protein powder), snacks are green apple, grapefruit, pumpkin seeds, and dinner a big plate of cooked veggies. Drinking lots of water and a bit of kombucha. I'm a few days in and while i'm feeling the effects of detox (lower back/kidney aches) and a little fatigue (i'm ready to hit the sheets by 8pm), i'm sleeping INCREDIBLY soundly (it's the first time i haven't woke up sweating in weeks!), and my 'puffy suit' is on it's way out. When i'm wrapped up indulging in holiday fare i completely forget how amazing healthy feels.....and oooooh, does it feel good!

Many of you know i've been working with Beaming Cleanse since August. Those of you who are hearing it for the first time check them out on facebook where i post daily tips, they are AMAZING. Beaming is San Diego's premier cleansing company! Daily you pick up a cooler of fresh pressed juices, smoothies, elixers, soups, salads, supplements, and teas. There are two cleanses coming up that still have space (Jan 9th sold out quick!). If you are interested in participating in either the January 16th or January 23rd four day cleanse, please use my personal discount code to receive 10% off: BeamMeUp-Meredith.

Meanwhile....let's get you feeling back to normal with a detoxifying green smoothie. This one is packed with cilantro which is the BEST natural chelater to help carry toxins and heavy metals out of the body!

The Chelater Detox Smoothie:

Water from one coconut

1/4 cup flesh from one coconut

6-7 medium swiss chard leaves

1 solid fistful cilantro

optionally 3 drops stevia (try before you add, it has a great natural sweetness without stevia)

blend it up in a high powered blender and enjoy.

mmmmmmmmmmm.....aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Inspirations For A Prosperous & Happy New Year (and a few tips on how to reach your goals)

2012-01-01T09:52:00.000-08:00

Good Luck reaching your goals in 2012. The first day of a brand new year is always the perfect time for reinvention. Here are a few tips i've read in the past few days on goal setting and willpower that were impactful reminders for me and i hope are for you as well:

1. When setting a resolution, never say 'I won't do this again'....it sets you up for failure. Rather state what you will do instead. example, DON'T SAY: "I won't eat sweets late at night anymore". STATE: "I will have tea after dinner"

2. Write your intentions/goals AND the steps you need to take to achieve them. Use the SMART chart:

Specific Goal, Ask the 6 W's: Who is involved? What do you want to accomplish? When is the time frame? Where..is there a location? Which are your requirements/contraints? Why - what is your specific purpose for this goal?

Measurable goal, When you measure your progress you stay on track. Ask...How much? How many? How will i know when it's accomplished?

Attainable. Plan your steps wisely and make sure you have a time frame.

Relevant. Are you willing and able to take these steps? Make sure you are being realistic.

Time Bound. You need to have a structured time frame and check in points along the way. If your goal is to lose 10 lbs and you haven't stated that you want to lose it by May, you can't measure your steps along the way at your weekly and monthly check ins.

3. Trust that you have AND USE willpower everyday and learn how to better tap into it. Self-control and intelligence are the two traits that predict "positive outcomes" in life. We all know that with self control we are less likely to make bad decisions that negatively impact health. Realize that you use willpower everyday when you get up to go to work instead of going to bed, when you don't yell at your boss, and when you get off the couch and go do yoga or run. You can use that same willpower to push you to achieve your goals. Rather than looking at willpower as forcing yourself to do something, look at it as having the strength to do what matters most to you.

4. Creating a habit or changing one usually takes about a month. If you continue to practice your new habit for more than 6 months it becomes a lifestyle.

5. WRITE IT ALL DOWN AND REVISIT YOUR JOURNAL OFTEN. It will remind you of where you want to me, and help you make the correct decisions along the way.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

WISHING YOU MUCH LOVE AND LIGHT FOR 2012!

Detoxifying Superfood Smoothie & Whole Living's 21 day Challenge

2011-12-28T14:14:00.000-08:00

My much anticipated issue of Whole Living has just arrived to my delight! If you do not have a subscription make sure to hit the news-stand to get your Feb. 2012 issue. This issue offers a 21 day challenge/detox/action plan packed with awesome recipes to help you ditch the holiday fluff and fit back into your skinny jeans. From green smoothies, to juices, to soups, and salads, you'll find about 25 cleanse approved recipes plus a bunch of other great healthy living articles. You can also find all of this (plus more healthy recipes) at Whole Living online if you can't wait for your copy.

This morning my smoothie was inspired by their recipe for grapefruit, carrot, ginger juice. Carrot and Grapefruit are both great liver cleansers, and i don't know about you, but i know my liver could use a good flushing right about now! I plan to do Beaming Cleanse in January, but think it will be even more beneficial after taking a few solid weeks to eat very clean. Here's what i came up with. Not only is it a super pretty pink color, but it tasted fab too!

Detoxifying Superfood Smoothie

5 carrots juiced (about 1/4 cup fresh pressed carrot juice)
4-6 oz water
2 ice cubes
1 small to medium pink grapefruit
1 scoop Vanilla Sun Warrior Protein Powder
1/2 tsp maca

Blend in a vitamix or other high powered blender

Creating A Post Holiday Action Plan

2011-12-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness i've been working out like a mofo lately. The holidays have once again presented themselves feathered with stiff cocktails, mass consumption of candy canes, sugar plum fairies, gingerbreads, home made baked goods, and dark chocolates that somehow kept landing on my tongue.

My attempts at balancing my day 80/20 (80% high alkaline plant based foods, 20% less alkaline) have fallen wayside. I've completely gone AWOL on healthy eating, and have found myself polishing off the tray of brownies more than once in the past few weeks. I've dined on goo filled treats and stiff drinks that have left me looking and feeling less than stellar. Was it fun? Oh yeah, it was. But i'm not liking the direction the scales are tipping, and i sure as shit don't like waking up feeling like i was hit by a freight train. I've got to get back on track and burn up some of this goo before it lands on my hips for good!

Here's my goals right now to help me get a more alkaline balance and get back to where i want to be. I would encourage you to spend some time writing an action plan also. Journal not just things you know you need to be doing to be healthy, but write down your intentions for the remainder of the year, and intentions for the new year. That way you can start to wrap your mind around them now and create a successful game plan to conquer each goal.

Health tips to get back on track:

Start every morning with 20 oz of warm water with lemon, and continue to stay hydrated through the day taking half your body weight in ounces of water.

Ease into your day with fresh pressed juices, smoothies, and fresh organic produce.

Limit sugars (check labels to see where sugars sneak in), and choose fruits with a lower glycemic index (grapefruit, green apple, berries)

Have all carbohydrate/grain foods before noon, so you have ample time to burn it off.

Consume lots of veggies and lots of greens. Leafy greens like kale and spinach are rich in protein, and mushrooms are a great meaty filler that are super low in calories (one portobello is around 25 calories).

Eat a small amount of lean protein with meals.

Be mindful with portion sizes.

Have 3 meals and two snacks daily (meals are around 350 calories, snacks around 150 calories)

Enjoy tea as an after dinner treat, or choose a piece of fresh organic fruit

Get into bed by 10pm nightly

Work out intensely with High Intesity Interval Training, weights, and cardio.

Food Journal everything you eat

Write your goals/intentions for the day/week/month.

GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY THE FRESH AIR!!!

Make a commitment to CLEANSE at the top of the new year.

Set aside time to create a vision board for 2012 (mine involves more travel this year!)

Good Luck! Give me a shout out in the comments with your action plan. We can all benefit from learning what works for one another.

Kitty Kat Mocktail & Bad Kitty Cocktail Video

2011-12-23T09:52:00.000-08:00

For those interested in seeing the video behind the kitty kat mocktails and cocktails, here you go. I also recommend you check out ShinyGilly and watch her always entertaining G-Force Fridays. Here are a few of my fave shorts they've posted:

Get Merry This Xmas: Bad Kitty Cocktails & Kitten Kat Mocktails

2011-12-20T16:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! Tis the season to put on your little black dress, holiday heels, and have yourself a merry festive cocktail. While most glasses will be filled with decadent spirits, it's nice to balance that with a festive mocktail that doesn't make your vision blur and tongue slur. Too often we get all dolled up for our holiday events only to have sipped one to many drink-e-poos that leave us falling out of our heels, ripping our skirts, and looking more like a holiday 'has been' than a holiday hottie.

So for all you kittens out there that would like to look good, stay slim, and healthy (and for all you cougars too that need a little less fire under your mane and tail) here's a festive holiday mocktail to pretty up your martini glass.

Rim a martini glass with crushed candy canes
Into a martini shaker:
Mix equal parts cranberry or pomegranate juice with coconut water (depending on size of glass you'll need about 2-3 oz of each
Add ONE drop of peppermint essential oil (1 drop per drink)
Ice - Shake - Pour
Garnish with a mini candy cane

Now for all your big kats that scoff at the idea of sipping juice from a cocktail cup, here's Gilly's Sassy Kat Version. I must say....it's REALLY good! For those of you who don't know Gillian, check out her site ShinyGilly.com. This hottie is super authentic, inspiring, and is posting daily inspirations and other tips and yoga videos. We just shot an episode for this friday's G Force Friday (G force is her and her main man Gino hitting on relationship questions.) They are a riot to watch! She'll be posting the video of us making the cocktails on friday and i'll be sure to post on here as well. Enjoy!

Rim glass with candy canes
Into a Shaker:
Mix 4 - 6 counts vanilla vodka, 2 counts peppermint schnapps, 2 counts cream de cocoa
Ice - Shake - Pour
Garnish with a mini candy cane

Lip Smacking Good Veggie Sam'ich

2011-12-11T08:54:00.000-08:00

There are a few key components when making a tasty veggie sam'ich.

1. avocado
2. condiment/seasonings
3. good bread

Since i'm a GF girl i usually use rudy's or udi's breads (the only thing i dislike about udi's is that they use corn syrup as an ingredient in their mold inhibiter. Not Cool, Udi...figure it out, dude.) Since i don't eat bread much i store it in the freezer (a bag of bread will last me months) and occasionally will toast a piece lightly for sammies or toast in the oven to make croutons. I recently purchased and tried Udi's millet and chia bread and really liked it. It holds it's shape well when stacked against piles of veggies and their milllet/chia bread has 5 grams of fiber per serving (2 slices).

Veggie Sammie:

Toast the bread lightly (to thaw if storing in freezer)
Mix a little balsamic into a few big dallops on stone ground or honey mustard and slap on both pieces of bread
Sprinkle over this a little italian seasoning mix
Layer with: sliced avocado, thinly sliced cukes, thin sliced bell pepper, thin sliced crimini mushroom, and a little spinach.
Top with the second slice of bread, press gently, plate, and enjoy!

I Eat, Therefore I Blog. 10 of My All Time Faves.

2011-12-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

Breakfast Cobbler (click for link)

BeeKeepers Muesli

Cantelope Coconut Mocktail

Peachy Green Smoothie

Raw'k N' Rolls

Fresh Lean & Green Lima Bean Salad

Oven Roasted Frenchy Fries

Pack'm Up Snack'm Up Bars

Raw Choco Chip Cookie Dough Bites (click for link)

Heart Healthy Cookie Jar

Start Your Day: Persimmon Pomegranate Chia Bowl

2011-11-27T16:30:00.000-08:00

Chia is a versatile seed that plumps up to about 10 times the size it started and makes a no fuss breakfast. You can make chia into pudding, use it as an egg replacer in baking, add it to smoothies to thicken and boost your fiber and omegas, AND you can make it like this for brekkie. To alleviate yourself of any wait time of chia swellling and to enjoy it thicker, you can soak your chia in almond milk before you hit the hay and rise to a bowl of ready to eat porridge. Since it's the time of year where waking up to a chilly bowl of anything is like someone dropping an ice-cube down your knickers, pop your porridge in a pot and heat lightly, top with your favorite fruit and nuts. Deeeeeee-lightful!

Pom Persimmon Chia Bowl
2 Tbsp Chia
3/4 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp maple extract
cinnamon
stevia
sea salt
1 persimmon chopped
handful pomegranate arils

Soak Chia Seeds in almond milk. Stir in Cinnamon, 1 tsp maple extract, and stevia liquid (or preferred sweetener) to your liking. Hit that with a tiny dash of sea salt. Allow the chia to swell stirring every now and again (about 15 minutes). Have as is or heat up in a small pot. Start by melting a 1/2 tsp (non soy) earth balance into the pot. Add the chia mixture and heat to your liking. Place in your favorite bowl and stir in one chopped persimmon and a handful of pomegranate arils.

nom nom!

Vegan, Gluten Free, Cinnamon Pumpkin Crumb Coffee Cake.

2011-11-24T09:09:00.000-08:00

I'm not much of a baker (most likely due to the fact that most recipes call for a butt-load of ingredients), but for whatever reason i was craving getting my hands a little sticky in the kitch on Thankgiving morning. I've been waking up REALLY early lately...we're talking like 5am (even on my days off), so i figured it would be a good time to slop up our tiny kitchen space (with hopes that i could repair my mess before the BF wakes up). Done and done. I found a few GF recipes on line that helped me get ideas of measurements i'd need and even learned that i could substitute xanthum gum with the same amount of chia and flax made into a slurry. AWESOME since xanthum gum costs an arm and a leg and i'd hardly ever use it! Here's the recipe as i made it...turned out pretty good (BF approved!) but i would make a few tweaks next time. I had cut the sugar and fat WAY down and the BF said it needed to be sweeter so i would add another 1/2 cup of coconut sugar or a combo of coconut sugar and stevita liquid. I also would add chopped walnuts and shredded carrot and zucchini or maybe raisins so you get little nibs with each bite. The texture was great which is always hard to attain in a gluten free/vegan cake, and it wasn't crumbly/didn't fall apart.

Dry ingredients:
2 1/4 cup sifted GF Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp fine ground sea salt
1/2 cup coconut sugar (next time i would double this)

Wet Ingredients:
slurry made from 1 tsp chia and 1 tsp flax in 4 tsp of water (set aside and let get slightly gelatious for a couple minutes. This takes the place of xanthum gum)
2 tsp maple extract
Energee Egg Replacer for 2 eggs (3 tsp energee replacer with 4 tsp of warm water, mix well)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (i used the can)
3 rounded Tbsp earth balance (non soy) (most recipes called for a lot more fat, you could surely add more earth balance or add in some other vegetable oil. i'm sure the flavor and texture would only improve)
1 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk (i used almond breeze)
1/2 tsp stevita liquid sweetener

Topping:
7 Tbsp GF Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour
2 Tbsp Earth Balance (non soy)
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp coconut sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Take a 9 inch cake pan and line it with parchment (or mist with evoo)
Mix your wet ingredients
Mix your dry ingredients
Using an electric mixer, combine dry into wet
Pour into your pan and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees
Cool before you add your topping.

To make the topping simply mix all the ingredients together with a fork to a crumb like consistency and top your coffee cake.

i have an owl obsession...loving my new mug from west elm

I ate my cake with Teeccino Vanilla Nut....ate a bite of cake, sip a little teeccino. YUM! Reminded me of being a kid and dunking doughnuts and cakes in my parents coffee cups. I doubt i'll make this again too soon since it requires a lot of ingredients and a huge mess in our tiny kitchen, but perhaps on holidays and special occasions. X-mas morning i'll retry with the walnuts, carrots, and zucchinis and let you know what happens. If you try before then hit me back and let me know!

one cake makes 8 servings/slices. Eat slice has about 10 grams of fat, 300 calories, 5 grams of fiber.

Simply Delicious: Fall Fruit Salad

2011-11-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the best tasting foods are the ones that require the smallest effort, letting the flavors of the foods speak for themselves. A quick stop at the farmer's market this morning yielded me some beautiful produce, and here is what it turned into.

1 persimmon sliced thin
1/4 champagne mango chopped
1 guava, skinned and seeded, flesh chopped
a couple handfuls pomegranite arils

toss together lightly in a bowl and enjoy the delicious bright flavors.

Garlicky Greens with Cranberries & Walnuts

2011-11-13T20:31:00.000-08:00

First off let me confess what i am doing (right now) is what i tell everyone NOT to do....AND while i'm at it, i might as well also confess that lately i'm personally making up for the loss of cheese and wine sales in San Diego due to the 25 awesome yogi's that have committed themselves to cleansing in my Wellness Cleanse group at Core Power. I have NOT been a good girl. OH NO. And here you thought my diet was always perfect.

Everyday i hear (and this is no exaggeration):

"I was about to eat a chicken pot pie and i thought of you....thinking would you ever eat this"
or

"I was at this great cooking class and we made.....wait, do you even eat sugar?"

or
"every morning when i make toast i think of what you told me about processed food."

I'm not sure how i feel about being thought about every time you bite into your sandwich. While i appreciate that you're thinking of me, I'm just not sure if the association is what i was going after.

YES, INDEED I LOVE FOOD! That's why i have this blog. YES, I LOVE TO EAT HEALTHY, WHOLE, UNPROCESSED FOODS, AND NO I DO NOT EAT CHICKEN POT PIE, but YES, just like you....I AM NOT PERFECT, and time to time i do indulge in foods that wouldn't be on my personal daily menu. I eat cheese occasionally. I eat bread occasionally. I eat sweets (really, you thought that box of Brownies from Trader Joes never made it into my cupboard? I'm gonna eat me a brownie from a box time to time!) That said, i've learned to create a balance between eating right (what i know is good, and what makes my body feel good) and allowing myself to indulge occasionally in more 'celebratory foods'. Sometimes i fall of the wagon so to speak and then a week or so goes by and i get back on the horse. I've chosen to eat a primarily plant based, whole, unprocessed diet because it makes me feel good...it feeds my heart, body, and soul, and I blog about it so you can learn too how to easily add more plant foods into your diet that are delicious!

And so there you have it. I haven't been very angelic lately. The cheese and wine have taken their toll on my body, so it's time to get back on the horse....and thank heavens i'm in the kitchen all week preparing beaming cleanses for almost 90 participants that have signed up. HOLY MOLY! yeah 90. I honestly don't even know how we are doing it. It's CRAZY. I'm so excited that 90 San Diegans were stoked enough about health to sign up for this incredible journey. That said, i'll be just as stoked when it's over! My days are crazy busy right now and i'm prepping for a possible all nighter at some point this week. Thank Goodness Beaming Cleanse will keep me nourished all day!

Last night was the last chance i had to make a light dinner from our garden before i started this week of Beaming. I love...LOVE...this recipe. It's easy and really delicious. Plus the flavors are perfect for fall. Start by getting yourself a few bunches of kale, some dried cranberries, raw walnuts, EVOO, and don't forget garlic...it's time to cook!

Rinse, dry, and roughly chop the kale
Use a dry non stick pan to heat the kale over med-high until it all wilts down.
Remove the kale from the pan, set aside
Add 1 Tbsp (maybe plus a little more) EVOO into the warm pan
Add a few cloves of minced garlic. If you need to, return the pan to the heat to cook the garlic, but be careful the garlic doesn't brown which makes it bitter. I use SCAN PANS which hold heat well so i can basically cook the garlic in the oil in the hot pan without having to turn the heat back on the stove.
Once the garlic is fragrant and golden mix the kale back in with a handful of cranberries, a handful of chopped walnuts, and a few cranks of sea salt.
Make sure the garlic oil coats the kale evenly.

Plate and dig in. This is such a yummy way to get a hearty dose of calcium and omega 3's into your diet!

just a cute picture of ollie to leave you with. He doesn't get too excited when we have vegetarian meals. He's much more animated when Andy cooks meat on the grill.

OH...AND....the thing i'm doing right now that i always say NOT to do:

Eating (albeit a salad, but still....).....EATING in front of my computer. I really do believe this is modern day couch potato behavior.

Green Juice To Start Your Day & Energize Your Sexy Body

2011-11-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

Nothing makes me feel better than starting my day with green juice...NOTHING! Flushing my cells with green nectar always gives me a special energy that can't be equaled by anything else. Throw in anything growing in your garden, anything that you've picked up at the farmer's market or co-op, or anything that needs to get used up. Celery or cucumber make a great base, and you can sweeten it up with green apple (lower sugar) or a little red apple (gives it more sweetness). Add sprouts to give it more living ezymatic quality and proteins, and if you need to stretch your juice add coconut water.

Cucumbers are rich in silica and promote great skin, nails, and hair, and recently I realized that the little persian cucumbers fit perfectly in my juicer shoot (so no need to spend time chopping them). Celery is rich in potassium and sodium, the two most important minerals for regulating fluid balance, therefore it acts as a diuretic helping to flush out your cells and releases excess water weight. Release water weight? Um, yes please.

Try this combo: a bunch of celery, a handful of persian cucumbers, 1/2 a lime, ginger, and a red apple. Make it even more stellar by pushing through a handful of sprouts and a few leaves of kale!

Raw Garlic Ranch Dressing: A Pleasing Way To Dress Up Your Greens

2011-11-06T19:18:00.000-08:00

If you aren't an at home salad dressing maker already, you will be after you learn a few tricks of the trade. These tips will help you ditch the store bought dressings and opt for a healthy home version. The secret to a great vinagarette is using HIGH quality olive oil and mixing 1 part vinegar to 2 or 3 parts oil. There are lots of different vinegars. Champagne vinegar is light and makes a good dressing when put with olive oil and fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro. Rice Vinegar can be bought seasoned (sweetened) and can make a nice light vinegar for salads that contain fruit. Most everyone has used balsamic, rich and slightly sweet, and you can buy it in white if you don't want to turn the contents of your salad a brownish shade. And let's not forget Lemon! It's the single best item in your kitchen to dress your salads, add pizazz to your veggies, and sip on in hot water as a digestive aide.

Yet what i love even more than making a vinagarette is making creamy raw salad dressings. Num Num. Back when i bought dressings at the market i had a slight addiction to Annie's Goddess dressing. I can remember opening the cap just to run my finger along the inner rim and get a taste of the numminess inside. The first raw dressing i learned to make tasted so much like the Goddess Dressing that i abandoned Annie's, started making all my own dressings, and haven't looked back since. It seems to be one of the more frequently used bases to many raw dressing recipes: a combo of tahini, EVOO, garlic, tamari, apple cider vinegar, and lemon. All creamy raw dressings seem to start with either a base of tahini or cashews (often soaked to up the creaminess factor).

Tonight i adapted Matt Amsden's ranch dressing with the offerings of my pantry. What i love about this dressing is that it doesn't include any oil, so all the fat is from whole unrefined foods....gotta love that! Here's the recipe as i made it:

3/4 cup coconut water
Juice from one very juicy lemon
1-2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 to 1 1/4 cups raw cashew pieces (use as many as you need to achieve desired thickness)
2 large cloves of garlic
a few shakes of onion powder
a few shakes from an italian seasonings mix

Put all in your vitamix or high speed blender and blend away.

Top O' the Morning to Ya: Berry Sweet Smoothie

2011-11-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

Smoothies are such a great way to start your day, satisfy a sweet tooth, and follow up your workouts. They don't overwhelm your digestion, they are sweet and delicious like a dessert, and they are packed with nutrients. To get a free copy of my superfood smoothie ebook with tasty smoothies make sure to go to bebeaming.com and sign up on the website. Here's what you'll need for this smoothie:

this one was made with raspberries, but i prefer using strawberries

1/3 cup coconut water (optional)

2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (packaged or make your own here) *or one full cup if you are not using coco water

2-3 ice cubes

1/2 a small frozen banana (add more to make it thicker and more banana-y)

solid sized handful of your favorite seasonal berries (freeze your fruit to make your smoothie thicker and chillier. If using frozen you may not need ice cubes, but may need a slight bit more liquid.)

half a Tbsp of Chia seeds made into a gel by adding them to a bowl with 3 Tbsp of water (let set a couple minutes to thicken then add to blender)

optional 1-2 Tbsp protein powder (Vega plain or Vega berry flavor is good in this)

and 1 heaping Tbsp of coconut flakes or coconut butter

blend it up and drink it down.

Yum Milk: Satisfying & Packed with Superfoods

2011-10-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

Many of you know i did Beaming Cleanse back in August with great success. I lost 5 lbs that i managed to keep off, regained my healthy habits, and i've incorporated a lot more superfoods into my diet since which has kept my energy levels high. I've gotten a lot busier lately too, and i think these additional superfoods are helping to support my energy and adrenals during this transitional and somewhat stressful/busy time in my life.

Cool News...I'm now working for Beaming...YAY! I'm doing everything from writing web content, to educational ebooks, to recipe development. This week i spent many hours in the 'test' kitchen with our head chef Jesus Gonzalez, Lisa Odenweller (the founder of Beaming), and many hours in my own test kitchen as well. Armed with a wealth of superfoods and supplements, and in a Beaming sort of way, i'm pleased to share my morning smoothie with you today. Get yourself an artillery of superfoods (maca, chia, coconut, mequite, lucuma, and high quality plant based protein powder) and let's get this superfoods smoothie party started!

By the way, we just launched the beaming website (click here for bebeaming.com). We still have a little work to do on it, but i'd love for you to check it out...and if you 'Sign up' on the beaming webpage we'll send you an informative superfood ebook with a handful of winning superfood smoothies, written by yours truly! :)

Yum Milk Superfood Smoothie

3/4 c coconut water
1/2 c vanilla unsweetened almond milk
1/4 c water and 2 ice cubes
1 T ground chia
1 T protein powder (beaming will be selling their proprietary special blend....it's AMAZE BALLS! and doesn't taste like chalky oversweet powder)
1 T almonds
1 T dried coconut shreds/flakes or 1/2 tbsp of coconut butter
1 tsp vanilla spice maca
1 tsp lucuma
1 tsp mesquite
5 dashes cinnamon

um.....YUM!!!!!! sorry the pic is so blah...it's from my phone. I wasn't patient enough to get out the big daddy camera. This shiggity shake was asking to be drunk, yo!

Superfoods breakdown:

Maca increases your energy and has a balancing effect on your endocrine system/hormones.

Lucuma is a sweet peruvian fruit. Ground into a powder it acts as a nutrient rich sweetener to your smoothies. It has a carmely/maple like flavor and is rich in beta carotene, niacin, and iron.

Mesquite is a seed pod from South America...it's a cousin of carob. It's got a sweet, almost nutty/smokey flavor and has a balancing effect on your blood sugar.

Cinnamon can help lower LDL cholesterol, boosts brain function, controls blood sugar, plus it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural preservative.

Coconut is comprised of medium chain fatty acids that help to INCREASE your metabolism.

Almonds are revered for their vitamin E content, and are a delicious source of antioxidants.

Let's Do This: Pre-Holiday Cleanse & Overnight Oats

2011-10-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

"One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. We cannot become what we want to be without inviting in positive change"

Amen To That!

When our lives get out of control, our diets quickly follow. It's seems so hard to regain control again, let alone visualize what it must be like to be in control. I know for myself when i've become overwhelmed in the bubble i've created that is my life i often fall off the horse, so to speak. I'll notice that although i'm unable to carve out time for important tasks to get completed in my day, i've managed to schedule in time for a glass of vino (or 2) or time to run to the store for chocolate. In the end I'm left more depleted, with a longer list, and less energy to complete it. Yet, the one thing that always gets me back on track is a cleanse. Cleansing doesn't have to be miserable, restrictive, or a boring experience, but yes my wino friends, you do need to give up your wine. For those of you still reading, cleansing is simply an opportunity to nourish your body with a powerhouse of nutrients that push toxins out of your cells and get yourself set up with healthy habits (a staple necessity as we rapidly approach the hectic holiday season). Plus, cleansing shrinks your fat cells, melts away all the bloat, makes you look and feel amazing, and gives you glowing skin. Who doesn't want all that? Duh.

I'm running two programs this fall to support you during your cleanse; Wellness Program at Core Power San Diego (click here for info) starts Oct 28th, and Beaming Cleanse at Sculpt Fusion in Carmel Valley starts on Nov 12. I blogged about my incredible experience on beaming cleanse about a month back (click here). We're offering your choice of a 3 or 5 day cleanse journey that's all prepared for you (I did 5 days last time which was an amazing challenge that really helped reset my habits and helped me lose 5 lbs!). Oh yeah, and you heard me right...it's all prepared for you. You don't need a juicer or any special equipment, and you don't need to take the time to prepare food. Beaming takes care of all the nitty gritty details so you can simply enjoy your cleansing experience with little effort and frustration. I'll teach you body care techniques to make your cleanse experience that much better AND i'll make sure you feel empowered to create healthy dishes and make positive shifts in your dietary habits so you stay on track with a winning holiday game plan. If you are interested in Beaming with me hit me up at meredith.gnau@gmail.com

And there is no way i'm leaving you hanging without an easy recipe to nosh on! again, duh...

Sunset to Sunrise Chia & Oats

1/3 cup Gluten Free oats

3/4 -1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 Tbsp chia seeds

1 tsp honey

1/2 small chopped ripe banana

pumpkin pie spice & cinnamon

__________________

1 Tbsp Almond Butter

1 tsp coconut flakes

1 Tbsp goji berries

Mix everything above the line in a bowl mashing the bananas gently with a fork. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the a.m mix in a dallop of almond butter and top with coconut and goji's. Start Noshin'.

This is such a quick and easy dish. It's perfect for when you are 'on the go' and don't have time to prepare anything before you run out the door.

It's The Buzzzzzz, Man: Iced Blended Herbal Coffee

2011-10-10T16:09:00.000-07:00

Hold onto your britches and boots my caffeine cowboys & cowgirls... i have something very special for you today! It's herbal....it's legal...you don't need a prescription...it won't make you crazy...and it's pretty darn rockin'. Those of you looking to kick your caffeine habit (or at least cut it back) will be pleased to find out this not only makes a great replacement for your coffee drink, but actually helps support caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Could life get any better than this? (perhaps having my feet rubbed and toes painted by Brad Pitt while i savor a piece of dark flourless chocolate cake might make my life a little better right now, but let's keep my fantasies out of this. This dandy blend business definitely runs a close second.) It's the Buzzzzzzzz, Man.

So whatchu gonna do with your dandy blend? I'll tell you what i do with mine....

I boil some water....
i put a few spoonfuls of dandy in a cup....
i add the hot water, some coconut water (for sweetness), and either a little creamer or almond milk (creamer tastes better, but belly likes almond)..
and i sip it in place of coffee.

I also.....ohohohohoh this is so good....
I also make a yummy ice blended drink. Move over Coffee Bean and all your sugary crap:

3/4 cup almond milk
3/4 cup coconut water (i use ONE brand)
2 ice cubes
2 HEAPING tbsps dandy blend

blend and serve.

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH yeah. you are not going to miss your regular coffee.

Oh, and remember it's herbal (dandelion root, chicory root, and beetroot). Dandelion is a great diuretic and helps support your liver and kidneys. So what does that mean for you? It means that just like regular coffee, it makes your body's engines "choo choo" so if you like your coffee as part of your 'morning routine' then everything should still run as scheduled.....know what i'm saying?

Click here to find where you can get dandy blend.
San Diegan's: shop at People's Co-op in Ocean Beach.

Feel Tip Top This Fall: Immunity Boosters

2011-10-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

Echinacea is a great cold preventative. Start taking it NOW!

Hey sicky pants...you gettin' what's going 'round? Start taking steps to get yourself healthy and feeling tip top this fall. Cook with more Garlic and Onions. They are nature's antibiotic and contain strong anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger is great for sore throats and helps to remedy nausea, vomiting, and indigestion. Make Ginger Tea: slice a medium piece of ginger and add it to a pot of filtered water. Boil, simmer, strain (the longer it sits the stronger ginger flavor you'll have). Turmeric is a common kitchen spice that acts as an anti-bacterial and is often used to help cough, cold, and sinusitus. It's probably already on your spice rack, so start cooking with it! Astragalus is anti- viral, has a balancing effect on the body, and protects the body against the various strains of the flu. Immunity Boosting Mushrooms like shitake, maitake and reishi are known for their immune boosting qualities. Look for New Chapter Host Defense, a combination of amazing medicinal mushrooms that increase production of white blood cells (your fighter cells). Wellness formula by Source Naturals is a combination of many immune boosting herbs that you take either as a preventative or at first sign of imbalance in your body. Elderberry extract shortens duration of the flu. Look for products labeled Elderberry "immune support" that contain additional Vit C, Zinc, Astragulus, and Echinacea. A daily Multivitamin is a surefire way to get the vital nutrients your body needs. And don't forget to boost your Vitamin C intake. Take up to 3-6g (6g for when you are sick). Pace yourself as you increase your dosage, and notice if your multi-vitamin or other supplements already contain some C. Eat more raw and lightly cooked seasonal fruits and veggies. Produce that is raw is full of nutrients and enzymatic qualitites. Add in more produce that's rich in Vitamin C like oranges, kiwi, grapefruit, lemons, bell peppers, and broccoli. Consume spinach and swiss chard and eat your roots and tubers like carrots and sweet potatoes. Choosing produce with a colorful depth is a reflection of the amount of carotenoids and antioxidants it contains. And simplest of all....WASH YOUR HANDS MORE! Our hands transfer germs into our mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) where the body absorbs the bacteria.

Stay Hydrated, Stay Warm, Rest Well, and Be Healthy!

Get Your Green On: Chlorophyll Detoxes and Alkalizes

2011-09-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

MORE GREEN DRINKS!!!

Greens are rich in chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is what gives plants it's green hue. It's basically the blood of plants. It's structured very similar to human blood, the main difference being that chlorophyll's central atom is mangesium while human blood's main atom is iron. Because of this chlorophyll is an amazing blood builder. Chlorophyll has been shown to be a cancer preventative, it aids in detoxification, it fights infections, is great for gastro-intestinal disorders, and it's alkalizing so it helps to negate acidity in the body. If that's not reason enough I'm happy to pull out some more factoids like the awesome fact that it combats bad odors, bad breath, and body odor. Don't you want to smell as good as you're lookin', Good Lookin'? Plus it supports detoxification of your liver (hear that wino friends?).

While i firmly believe that whole foods are the best way to get your minerals, powdered greens boosters can be a good supplement to your already nutrient rich diet. There are many powders on the market and they all taste a bit different so before you buy a whole canister see if you can buy sample sized packets to make sure you like the taste. Many of them say to mix with water but the taste is well....less than palattable. I've found that adding coconut water to my greens powder drinks, as well as my fresh pressed green juices helps to cut any bitterness and add a wealth of sweetness. While fresh coconut water would be best, i think most of us are going to buy it pre-packaged. My favorite brands are ONE and Coconut Nirvana. The only bummer with the packaged coco water is that it's been pasteurized, so clearly a lot of the nutrient density will be cooked off, however it is lower in calories than most juices and sweet and delicious which really works when you need to cut a bitter green juice. Here's a recipe for a fresh pressed greens tonic with an extra chlorophyll boost:

freshly press a handful of greens (chard, kale, spinach, etc)
freshly press a large organic unpeeled cucumber

Divide this equally into two 12-16oz jars. Add in 1 tsp of greens powder and a pinch of powdered spirulina
Fill the remainder with coconut water or a mix of coconut water and a little water
Cap, shake, and enjoy.

Figgy Business

2011-09-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

Yo it's fig season. I've been eating black mission figs lately up the ying yang. I can't get enough of these delicious no guilt treats packed with potassium, fiber, and well...magic. Today was my first foray into calmarnya figs...the green ones. As i savored my gooey red jammy filled velvety pouch of figliciousness i referenced feeling goddess like. Figs are so beautiful and i think somewhat magical too.

While i'm not a big cheese eater i do indulge in a wee bit here and there. Lately i've been indulging in a wee bit of goat cheese on me figs. OH MAN! Slice your figs into four, slap on a dallop of goat or honeyed goat cheese and top with a pistachio. This is the stuff goddess dreams are made of.

Want to keep it VEGAN? Leave the goat cheese behind and dust your figs with dried flaked coconut. YUM!

By the way, as if you couldn't have figured this out on your own, this figlicious treat is stellar accompanied with a glass o' vino. I'm currently into 2009 Vigilance Cimarron, a sustainably farmed cuvee out of California. So easy to sip, sniff, savor, and enjoy. AND for you Bev Mo fans, it's on the 5 cent deal until October 24th. Buy one get one more for 5 cents. Yeah, you heard that right. It's typically the only time i buy more expensive wines (this is a $20 bottle). So get on down to your Bev Mo (or order on line here), get your vigilance, hustle to your co-op or farmers market, and get yourselves some figs, pistachios, and goat cheese. Enjoy my Sweetpeas...enjoy with gratitude. Savor each sip and bite thanking the farmers that grew it, those before them that taught them how, and the many complexities of flavors, colors, and textures that will prance upon your palette. You can thank me for this tip later.

xo

Market To Table Cooking Class & 5 Easy Recipes

2011-09-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

cups culinary space la jolla

This sunday i went to a rocking market to table culinary class at Cups. Local San Diegans you might know Cups for it's cupcakes, but tucked away on the back side down a nondescript alley and behind a big wrought iron cupcake gate lies this little mecca for the aspiring chef (or for anyone that wants to learn how to get savvy in the kitch.) Jesus Gonzales is the creative director at Cups, the former head chef at rancho la puerta, and was our mastermind for the day. I had already known about Jesus since he was the chef that prepared our dishes during beaming cleanse.

The group took a gander through the local farmers market where we picked up any produce we wanted to cook with or learn to cook with. A few assistants and a few bag fulls later we were in the kitch where Jesus put us all to work. We each had a task or two to create our lunch together. And even though there were a lot of cooks in the kitchen we seamlessly put together an AWESOME lunch, thankfully without any band-aids, first aid kits, or the like necessary.

Here's what we dined on and a few of the recipes. Everything was easy to do and so delicious!

this is the dish i made!

Kale Salad:

one bunch kale

one avocado

one asian pear

1 tsp EVOO

2 lemons

s/p

sprouts
broccoli stems (optional)

nuts and seeds (walnuts and pepitas)

a basic kale salad requires you to de stem the kale to take out bitterness, stack the leaves and chiffonate/slice ribbon like (thin). Toss into a large bowl with juice from one lemon, 1 tsp EVOO, and a dash of salt. Massage the heck outta the greens until they look wilted/slightly cooked. Really give em' a good squeezin'. Toss into the salad whatever add ins you like. We did sliced asian pear, chopped avocado, onion and sunflower sprouts, pumpkin seeds and walnuts, and sliced broccoli stems: peel the stem of broccoli and slice at an 1/8 inch intervals at a diagonal. I added the juice from the additional lemon to prevent the asian pear and the avo from browning.

Muesli Stuffed Nectarines:

1 cup each of walnuts and almonds (pulse in a food processor to break down significantly)

Toss this with:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 can of coconut milk (full fat)

1-2 Tbsp of coconut sugar (or sweetener of choice like agave, stevia, honey)

cinnamon to taste

This would make an awesome overnights oats dish, or would be great on fruit salad, a yogurt parfait, with almond milk, or stuffed into any halved pitted fruits. Jesus uses coconut sugar since it has a lower Glycemic Index.

Pistachio and Goat Cheese Saute'd Figs and Dates:

slice your figs and dates only halfway through (remove the pit from the date). Stuff with goat cheese and a few pistachios. Eat as is, or saute in a lightly misted pan to lightly brown. (some were wrapped in procuitto - should you choose to do this you saute first, then wrap w/ proscuitto, then saute lightly again.)

someone asked me recently how to cook with eggplant..here you go:

Vegetable Terrine:

1 eggplant (pick one that is firm and shiny)

2 large heirloom tomatoes

pesto (see radish greens pesto recipe below)

1 lb. goat cheese (or just more pesto if you are making it non dairy)

Slice tomatoes to about 1/8 inch. Slice eggplant as thinly as you can. Heat a DRY pan and cook the eggplant on both sides just until it browns. Layer your casserole dish first with a layer of sliced tomatoes to fully cover the bottom, sprinkle goat cheese over tomatoes (or pesto), then a layer of eggplant, then a layer of pesto, repeat until you've used everything, finishing with the eggplant. Press down on built terrine with another same sized dish. Place in fridge for an hour (we skipped this step and it was just fine!). Cut into small squares and pour any sauce over the top (we used tomatillo though i think a marinara would be great...or even just more pesto). This also would be really great over a bed of greens.

Radish Greens Pesto:

1 cup of walnuts

1 bunch of radish greens (green parts only)

1 avocado

EVOO (about 1/4 cup)

Asiago Cheese or 1/4 cup parmesan
3 garlic cloves

salt/pepper/cayenne to taste

All goes into a food processor. The avo adds a lot of creaminess so just drizzle the EVOO in as it's processing so you can get to the consistency you like.

This was served on fresh rosemary bread with roasted red pepper and shaved asiago cheese. It was also the pesto we used in the terrine.

ladies lunching!!!

terrine, broccoli rabe, kale salad, figs and dates, and squash tagine

The next class at Cups will be October 2. This Farm-to-Table class is hosted by Jesus Gonzalez and Suzie's Farm - my favorite farm here in San Diego!!!

Do you struggle with what to do with the seasonal fresh vegetables you receive in your CSA box, or have you wanted to join one but have worried you won’t know what to do with all the fresh produce once it arrives? Or maybe you marvel at the variety of produce available in local markets and want to cook healthier meals. If so, this is the class for you! This class will feature a box of produce from Suzie’s Farm in San Diego, which the class will utilize to make several tasty dishes. Students are also encouraged to bring along their own CSA boxes or a particular fruit/vegetable that they want to learn how to cook. Recipes will be provided to all participants in this instructional hands-on class with an expert is using the freshest local, seasonal ingredients.

$65. 9am-12pm (Minimum 8, maximum 16)

Beaming Cleanse Day 5: Last Day!!!

2011-09-16T18:26:00.000-07:00

I'm glad to say it's the final day of my cleanse. Not because the cleanse was rough, or the food was bad, quite the contrary actually. Everything was fresh, delicious, and very gourmet. Just look at the pic above; my dinner tonight! That being said, i'm excited to CHEW more. LOL. It's been a lot of liquid and being a foodie and all i love to EAT. While i'll continue with my good habits that beaming helped me regain (juicing and smoothies through the first part of the day and crispy fresh salads and raw soups) i'm looking forward to splashing in a little vino and mocktails here and there, some grilled kale, and my juices and smoothies....and maybe a little dessert and dark chocolate....just a little ;)

Besides my green juices today i had a strawberry superfood smoothie (similar to day 2), the immunity elixer was enhanced with goji berry, and we swapped salad for the yummalish wrap pictured above with a walnut pate and cashew dipping sauce.

I'll weigh myself again tomorrow morning but so far i've dropped 5 lbs. I suppose by tomorrow i'll be down near 6 since i've been dropping nearly a lb a day. I gained a bit of weight in august so this cleanse couldn't have come at a better time to shed the unsightly reminder of good times.

Beaming Cleanse is launching here in San Diego in October and they have plans to open nationwide. San Francisco will be the next market opening since Adina is based there. Visit their webpage here to inquire about the program. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT and look forward to getting beamed up again after the holidays!

Mango Salsa and Beaming Day 4

2011-09-15T17:47:00.000-07:00

mango salsa recipe below

I'm back to feeling AMAZING! For those of you who are just tuning in this week i've been on a cleansing journey with Beaming Cleanse. I did end up eating 1/2 an avocado last night (so a whole avo total yesterday) which resulted in no weight reduction from wed morn to thurs morning, but I was not hungry upon waking, have incredible energy now, and have already lost almost 4 lbs!!! The drinks today are awesome. The green juices have a little more spice, there is a fortified nut milk in place of my superfood smoothie, and the soup today is ROCKING!

The two main differences today are:

Radiant Nut Milk instead of Superfood Smoothie: Homemade almond milk with alkaline water, coconut butter (healthy and uber YUMMY fats), almond butter, lecithin (as an emulsifier and lowers cholesterol), probiotics, and maca (i added cinnamon to mine)

Carrot Curry Soup: HOLLAH! This is the bees knees. Carrots juiced with curry, lime, ginger, garlic, basil, mint, avocado and raw cashews

The salad tonight was greens and sprout salad, corn, cucumber, red pepper, and cashew based dressing (asian inspired...i can taste the sesame.) YUM.

One more day to go. While i'm looking forward to inviting more solid foods into my diet on Saturday, i'll continue to start the first half of my day with smoothies and juices and indulge on salads based with kale and cabbage. I love that this cleanse has helped me hit my reset button, regain positive habits, and put me back on track.

Already planning one of my first post cleanse foods....ohhh it'll be sooo good.

Last week before the cleanse kicked off i made one of my fave summertime recipes, mango salsa. This recipe is inspired by Matt Amsden's recipe in the book Rawvolution; one of the first raw cookbooks i bought and still one of my favorites.

2 mangos chopped
1 bell pepper chopped or diced
any chopped onion you like (red or green) to taste
LOTS of cilantro
1 Tbsp of stone ground mustard
1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar
1/2 a large jalapeno pepper diced (de-seed only if you want it less spicy)
a couple smacks of cayenne pepper to taste

IF you want to keep it cleanse approved leave the mustard out and instead add a chopped garlic clove and a squeeze of lime.

Mix it all together and serve with either tortilla chips, crudites (i love using button mushrooms), or use it as a chutney with fish, chicken, or tofu steak. It's great mixed into salads too!

One Love San Diego Event and Beaming Cleanse Day 3

2011-09-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

whatchu doin this saturday? wanna do this with me? Yes is the right answer!

In yoga, Seva means selfless service. Moreover, Seva refers to selfless service for altruistic purposes on behalf of, and for the betterment of a Community. My dear friend, Kim Bauman, is associated with Off The Mat Into The World (OTM), a nonprofit dedicated to Seva and bridging the gap between yoga and activism. Kim has passionately dedicated the past few months to putting together an amazing yoga event this Saturday Sept 17th in San Diego to raise significant funds to support humanitarian efforts in Haiti.

Consider this...
What would your day be like without clean water? What if your home was a tent? How would you feel if you saw young children on the streets of your hometown with no where to go?

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Still far from recovery from the aftermath of the devastating January 2010 earthquake, which left over 1 million refugees still living in tents without access to water, food, and health care. Included in this 1 million are children that are growing up without nutrition and no where to call home as not even the orphanages are developed enough to hold them.

The One Love event this Saturday will not only be an inspirational yoga and musical journey connecting the local community, but an opportunity for you to practice Seva through donation and a supportive, heartfelt presence. The practice will be lead by 7 of your favorite San Diego Core Power teachers. 100% of the proceeds (donation is $38) will be used directly in the community of Haiti in February 2012 when Kim and her group fly over to serve and volunteer their hearts. If you can not attend the class this weekend i urge you to find it in you heart to donate here. One person makes an IMPACTFUL difference. If every person that read this blog were to donate $38, we could raise over $38,000!!! Crazy to think, but YOU and YOUR actions make an HUGE difference. I hope to see you there this weekend.

For those of you who have been following the beaming cleanse journey i'm so pleased to report that already on day 2 my mind was clear, i was blown away with the abundance of energy i had, and my body was feeling light and UBER flexible. Perhaps it's the alkalinity working, or the MSM, the e3live, or the mere lack of toxins that make their way into our clean lifestyles. Yesterday I had one of the BEST yoga practices in a long time. I was floating effortlessly to and from plank, i felt light and strong, flexible and focused. Those of you cleansing along with me (or at least polishing up ye' old diet) look into some of these supplements. They are so great for boosting your green drinks or simply taking supplementally.

Conversely, today has been my hardest day. I was hungry upon waking and have felt fatigued throughout the day. Many of my students today were fatigued as well, so not sure if it's just the weather's impact (it's a little grayer today), or if my cleanse is catching up with me and my body is going into conservation mode (more likely the case).

Today's menu from beaming is:

Beaming Juice #1 - celery, cuke, sprouts, lime, ginger (no kale today)

YES! MORE GREEN JUICE!!

Superfood Smoothie #2 alkaline and coco water, almond milk, wheat grass, barley grass, chlorella & spiralina greens powder, plant based protein, probiotics, maca

Raw Soup #3 gazpacho made with heirloom tomatoes, avocado, bell pepper, garlic, smoke chilis, jalapenos, sunflower sprouts, and cucumber

Beaming Juice #4 Same as number one with MSM and e3live

immunity elixer #5 coco and alkaline water, lemon, ginger, stevia, camu camu, msm

Rawkin Salad: kale, red pepper, romaine, sunflower greens, sunflower sprouts and sesame seeds, corn and cashew based dressing (really NUMMY!)

2 teas and triphala

As i mentioned, I woke up fairly hungry this morning (but honestly i wake up hungry every morning). My stomach was growling. It wasn't bad, but i definitely wanted more than juice. I started my day with 2 16oz cups of warm lemon water with the purfiy me tea, taught yoga, then drank my green juice #1...stomach still feeling empty.

hrrmmmm....do i go for my superfood smoothie and sacrafice my mid morning pick me up?

I compromised. I had half the smoothie in the morning and the second half around 11:30am (These smoothies are so good...I would consider them a dessert packed with stellar nutrients and super foods. HOLLAH! ). It was welcomed nourishment but after my next class i was racing home to have lunch (by 2pm). The Raw Soup has been my go-to lunch, though they've said we can rotate the order of foods/drinks around in the day to have them at whatever times seem more appropriate for us. I stuck to their mould until today when i had my salad for lunch. I probably could have just had half and saved half, but i got so excited to eat it that i couldn't stop! Before i knew it the salad was gone and i was staring aimlessly into my fridge at the 3 bottles left to consume throughout the day.

How are 3 bottles of liquid going go hold me over til tomorrow? It's only 2:30.

I think i might have started to sweat with fear. I grabbed a couple of my favorite books on cleansing for motivation to indulge in some quiet time. The lids fell shut and i was out.

If only the UPS man didn't have to come today...if only i wouldn't have ordered those cute shoes to wear with my skinny jeans on saturday. UGH!

Twenty minutes into my siesta the delivery man was yelling up to me and i was rattled. Clearly not sleeping now, but i'm still hungry. I eat half an avocado. keep busy meredith. I clean the house. I take yoga. I'm feeling much better..more in control. I drive to pick up my next day's 'food' after sipping my last green drink of the day and walking the pug. It's not even 6:30 yet. All i have left now is my Raw Soup and the immunity elixer. I think i might make it....

The past two nights i've had half an avo around 8pm. I try not to eat late at night, but going to bed with a gurgly or empty stomach doesn't make for sound sleep for me. The avo just seems to takes the edge off. Tonight i'm skipping that avo since i had it after lunch, sipping on tea and trying not to let sugar plums dance in my head.

Three days down now....2 to go. Yoga feels amazing. I have already lost a few lbs. LOVING THAT! Skinny jeans you are only 2 days a way! Here's hoping tomorrow is a little easier.

Living Salad & Beaming Cleanse Day 2

2011-09-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for your Living Salad:

a variety of mixed greens, preferably plucked from your garden or from your local farmers market
a bunch of sun grown sprout salad (variety of sprouts: lentil sprouts, alfalfa, clover, broccoli sprouts, etc)
a few Tbsps of sprouted sunflower seeds
1/3 of an avocado sliced

Dressing:
blend half a small chopped pear with a little ACV (about 1 Tbsp), 1-2 Tbsps Balsamic vinegar, and about a tsp EVOO. Clearly i didn't measure when i threw the items in the blender...so make it so it suits your palette. If you are on a cleanse i would recommend leaving out the balsamic, or swapping it for a tbsp of lemon.

toss your salad with dressing then top with the avo

Enjoy outside in the sunshine or under a shady tree.

For those of you following my Beaming Cleanse Journey and would like some juicing ideas here's today's elixers:

Beaming Cleanse Juice #1 kale, celery, cuke, ginger, sprouts, cayenne, and lime

Superfood Smoothie #2 coco water, alkaline water, almond milk, plant protein, mila, and strawberries

Raw Soup #3 green curry soup: spinach, coco water, curry spices, corn, cashews

Beaming Cleane Juice #4 same as number 1 with MSM and e3live

alkalizing the body and taking out all sugar (even fruit) has left me feeling vibrant WITHOUT any cravings!

Immunity Juice #5 alkaline water, coco water, lemon, ginger, stevia, camu camu, msm

Rawkin Raw Salad: chopped cabbage, romaine, seeds, sunflower seeds, bell peppers, and a special lemon and camu camu zesty dressing.

2 teas:
purify me: anise, fennel, ginger, peppermint, honeybush tea
balance tea: rose, vanilla, almond tea
...and i still had my 'harmony tea' left over from yesterday: chamomile, peppermint, blackberry, cinnamon, ginger, rose, marigold

First drink of the day. Giving me my morning Buzzzzzz...

Feeling Strong! I did indulge in half an avocado with a little sea salt last night. Glad i did. It took the edge off and allowed me to fall asleep without a grumbling belly.

Beaming Cleanse: Day One Down & Feeling The Vibe!

2011-09-12T19:26:00.000-07:00

Good news...i'm not hungry, i love all my juices, smoothies, soups, and salads, and i feel STELLAR! My energy is through the roof and i'm so happy to have a days worth of nutrients PREPARED FOR ME!!! Hopefully i have this same momentum days 2 through 5!

Here's what i had today:

Lemon water (about 20oz), not pictured

Beaming Green Juice #1: kale, cucumber, celery, lime, ginger, pea sprouts, and cayenne. This gave me insane buzzy energy. (Each juice/smoothie is about 16oz.)

Superfood Smoothie #2: alkaline water, coconut water, almond butter, plant based protein (with chia, hemp, rice, and pea protein), probiotics, spinach, mila (chia), and blueberries. Seriously THE BEST green smoothie i've EVER had...and i make and drink a lot of green smoothies!

Raw Power Soup #3: pineapple, avocado, alkaline water, jalapeno, cucumber, lime, ginger, with a touch of himalyan sea salt. I added a few dashes of cayenne for extra spice since i find spice usually curbs my hunger. It was delicious either way and it was a really big bowl of soup...if i wanted to i could have split it into two servings.

Beaming Green Juice with e3live and MSM #4: same as first green juice with added nutrients. e3live is amazing. It not only oxygenates your cells, aids detoxification, and is a vegetarian source of B12, but it's also brain food. We all need to drink this smart juice more regularly.

Immunity Elixer #5: alkaline water, coconut water, MSM, Camu Camu, lemon, ginger, stevia. Camu camu is the best source of Vitamin C available and MSM is great for hair, skin, nails, inflammation, and joints. Not only am i going to feel amazing within these five days, but i'm going to look HOT! Dusting off my skinny jeans and high heels right now! even more reason to cleanse!

Rawkin Salad: chopped cabbage, cukes, romaine and spinach, seeds, spicy nuts (pepitas, sunflower seeds and pistachios), bell peppers, green onion, and a yummy light tahini dressing (not sure what's in it...maybe lemon, apple cider vinegar, and a litte tahini?). It's a pretty big salad, big enough to fill me up. Plus all the crispy cabbages were nice to crunch on after a day of liquid. If i did a longer/harder workout today or was a man and had a higher caloric need, i might have tossed in some extra greens and some avocado or sprouted sunflower seeds. For me...it was perfect and tasted very fresh. If i get hungry later i do have some avocado and celery in the fridge, but hopefully i'll carry though the evening fine.

I have two teas to sip tonight (one called 'purify me', i'm making now) and a couple triphala tablets to help tonify ye'old digestive organs. I haven't needed to add in anything else to satiate me, though if we need we can add in 1/2 an avocado, cuke slices, jicama slices, or celery. I think my saving grace today was all the water i consumed in between my beaming juices...i'm sure this helped hold me over. I have a tendency to not drink water if it's plain, so i made a big pitcher of herbal iced tea last evening (i carry big 32 oz mason jars with me so i can sip all day). Having something in my water, whether it be herbal iced tea, lemons, cukes, or mint, makes me more interested in drinking and staying hydrated. Come evening if you are having trouble resisting wine, put whatever you are drinking in a wine glass and give it the same amount of love and appreciation you would for your fermented grape drink. Your mind, body, and soul will thank you for it.

Inspired to cleanse yet???? Start now. Make this week clean and green. Use ideas from the menus i'm posting (i'll still post clean recipes for you this week too), older blog posts i've written, yoga journal and whole living magazine are great resources, as are books on cleansing like Adina's Neimerow 'Super Cleanse' and Kris Carr's 'Crazy Sexy Diet', and movies like Fat Sick and Nearly Dead. OR send me questions in the comments section below. Always great to have community support! Plus reading about cleansing while you are cleansing can really help to keep you on track.

5 Days to Feeling Your Best: Beaming Cleanse

2011-09-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

August was a doozy. We had wonderful house guests every weekend, and family through much of the month. There was much socializing, wining, dining, and a bunch of other less than healthy indulgences that had me abandon good habits, which in turn has left me feeling worn out and a bit wider through the middle. Perhaps you've had a whirlwind summer as well. What i need now is to get back on track and no easier way to get on track than to start with a cleanse.

Lisa Odenweller, founder of beaming cleanse, asked me to be part of her expert panel to test run the cleanse she's launching in October. I can not tell you how thrilled and honored i am to be part of this amazing opportunity. Beaming Cleanse is a 5 day holistic journey of raw foods, juices, fortified smoothies and supplements created by lisa and her chef's Adina Niemerow (Author of Super Cleanse & holistic chef in San Fran) and Jesus Gonzales (formerly the head chef at Rancho La Puerta). Each night i'll pick up a days worth of cleansing foods and tonics and will be documenting my journey here, through FB, and Twitter (to follow on twitter go to A_Grateful_Life).

My days will look something like this.

*lemon water to start the day

*fresh pressed green juice with sprouts for their living vibrancy and protein in the morning

*superfood smoothie/fortified nut milk (protein & nutrient packed cocktail of deliciousness) mid morning

*Raw soup for lunch

*fresh pressed green juice with sprouts and e3live (the blue green algae wonder superfood) afternoon

*Immunity Elixer made with camu camu, MSM, lemon, alkaline water and coconut water

*cleansing tea

*delicious salads filled with a variety of sprouts & colorful veggies for dinner

*herbal teas and Triphala to support the cleanse process

Just reading that makes me feel healthy! Since i'll be documenting my journey here, feel free to join along in a cleanse of your own, or just keep up on my posts and get inspired to start a cleansing journey soon. I'll be leading a fall Vata Dosha cleanse at Core Power Yoga San Diego/Point Loma at the end of October.

What I'm Eating Now: Breakfast For Nut Butter Addicts

2011-09-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

"Hi I'm Meredith, and i'm addicted to nut butter."

A month back while at Henry's market i stumbled upon an end cap with a variety of nut butters, some of which i hadn't tried before:

Coconut Manna - yes, i've had you and you always make me want more. Cashew butter....I've had my way with you too...puuuurrrrrrrr. Almond...you'll always be my standby. Peanut...i mean duh i grew up on it. HOWEVER i had never had sunflower seed butter before and the label really appealed to me. 2 Tbsp of sunflower seed butter had a fraction of the fat and more fiber than you'll see in almond butter (12 grams fat, 4 grams of fiber). I took it home. I spooned it from the jar. I slathered it on things. I threw it in smoothies. I went back and bought more...and not just one jar! Here i am 4 jars later scraping the end bits out of this empty jar and scheduling my day around another market run to refill my supply.

Here's breakfast today...and yesterday...and the day before. This really holds me over. Like grandma said about her oats - it'll stick to your ribs.

1 rice cake (i use lundberg brand lightly salted)
1/2 banana, sliced
1 tbsp sunflower seed butter

(this has about 210 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 4 grams of fiber) - makes a great snack too!

not feeling like it's enough? double it up and use your whole banana, 2 rice cakes, and 2 Tbsp Sunflower Seed Butter. (will have about 420 cal, 14 g fat, and 8 grams fiber)

PS - i'm on Twitter now. Click here to find me at A_Grateful_Life. (A_Grateful_Life)

Clean, Green, and Lean: Roasted Okra

2011-09-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

I love okra. It's a vegetable that took me a long time to try because my Mom never made it and i never knew what to do with it. Last year i really got into it and i'm so excited that it's in season again now. Not only is it packed with vitamin C but half a cup is only going to cost you about 30 calories! Plus it's got a high profile of antioxidants.

roasted okra, recipe below

We've been growing okra at home, but my plant isn't quite mature yet. Luckily it's abundant at the farmers market now. Check out our okra plant...it has a beautiful yellow bloom and you can see all my little okra pods starting to grow (look at the sprouts above the flower).

Roasted Okra:

Heat the oven to 400
Make sure your okra is dry (so perhaps wash it earlier and let them air dry)
No need to trim - leave it whole with the stem/tip
Mist your okra with olive oil
Season with sea salt
Put in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until they are starting to wilt and char. Shake the pan every now and again.

Allow them to cool for a few minutes before attempting to devour! Hold the stem end and gobble up the tasty pod.

*when selecting okra, pick the pods that are about 2 1/2 - 3 inches in length. The very large pods can get woody.

first image from google

Bodyrocking Workouts, Gymboss, and Macaroons: OH MY!

2011-08-31T09:50:00.000-07:00

january newland in natarajasana

Who doesn't like the feeling of being just a little sore and sweaty after you workout? I mean....you know you got your money's worth when it kind of hurts to laugh, your heart is pounding through your chest, you feel it on your underside, or your arms are like jello. I'm a yoga girl through and through, but lately i've been seeking out some other forms of excercise since my body is so aquainted to my 'normal routine'. I started taking bodyrock bootcamp workouts saturday mornings in balboa park from a good friend and fellow instructor, January Newland. Tonight she's adding a second weekly arse kicking to her repertoire at the stairs of the convention center downtown San Diego. I'd love for you to join us, get your butt whipped, sweat, cry, laugh, and support one another in an ever-constant battle against the bulge! I interviewed J so you could get an idea of what the workouts are like, what to expect when you come, and why you would do it in the first place!

me: please explain the style of workout you teach

J: My workouts are high intensity, short duration workouts that are designed to push you out of your comfort zone, boost your metabolism, and increase your overall strength! The workouts incorporate big exercises that work your body as a whole unit to maximize the metabolic impact. The workouts are never the same; but you can expect to sweat, become exhausted, and then shortly after feel completely energized. We use kettlebells, medicine balls, jump ropes, and your own body weight. My workouts are like mini-personal training sessions; I pay close attention to form, safety, and encouraging you exactly when you most need it!

me: what are the dates/times/locations of your bootcamp?
J: Saturday 8:15am in Balboa Park - 6th and Upas

Wednesday 5:30pm at Convention Center Stairs (parking at Embarcadero Marina Park South)

me: what is the theory behind the type of workout you lead?

The theory behind these workouts is in the high intensity. The harder you push, the more oxygen your muscles will need to consume POST-exercise to recover, continuing your caloric burn for hours. In addition, these workouts combine cardiovascular effects with muscle building, and it's the muscle that will burn fat even when you are at rest. Twice a week is perfect for this kind of intense routine.

me: how has this type of training impacted your life (physically, spiritually, etc)
J: I feel stronger and more vibrant! I used to spend hours on cardio machines and feeling uncomfortable in weight rooms, and never seeing the results I wanted. When I first started high intensity interval training a few years ago, right away I noticed muscles I had never seen before! Recently I began putting even more intensity into even shorter duration routines, and noticed that my energy levels surged, and my body also feels leaner and stronger than ever before. I'm happy to push harder for a shorter amount of time; who doesn't want more time to play and less time to shuffle around in the gym?

me: what is/are your inspiration(s)?

J: I am inspired by my Dad, who was a health nut and fitness enthusiast long before it was cool to be into that kind-of thing. He owned a gym in the 50's that encouraged women to workout alongside the boys, which was rare then. I was his side-kick as a little girl, watching his every move as he blended up wheat-germ/spinach/egg white smoothies and lifted weights in our garage... and he did this into his 70's! I am also inspired by the queen of short duration killer workout routines, Zuzana Light!

my fave quote: "Strong is the New Skinny!"

Lululemon Ambassador, January Newland

January Newland is a San Diego yoga teacher and fitness coach. Outside of her personal training sessions and bootcamp classes January also teaches Yoga Sculpt and Power Yoga classes at CorePower Yoga San Diego, training sessions at Xplicit Fitness, and hosts Runners-in-Training workshops and Stand-Up-Paddle Workouts on Mission Bay. She is an Ambassador to Lululemon La Jolla.

Credentials:
RYT Certified Yoga Instructor, CorePower Yoga
NETA certified Yoga Sculpt Instructor
ACE certified Group Fitness Instructor
AHA CPR & First Aid Certified

So J and me...being close friends and all, talk about food (of course) and how to stay fit in between my much needed January Bootcamp Sessions. She uses a Gymboss to keep track of time on the intervals. I ordered one so i can do some circuits at home when i'm too short on time to go to a full hour class. They are awesome. Grab a fitness magazine and pull out a few different exercises, set your timer for 50 seconds with a 10 second break in between exercises and get moving. I usually try to find 5 different exercises and set the timer to go through 5 rounds. My last one was jump rope, toe taps on a stair, mountain climbers, squat jumps, and burpees. My heart was beating out of my chest! I find that working out this way means your push hard for a shorter amount of time, but the timer keeps you on track so you don't peter out. I'll admit....i push harder with January's support, but it's still great to have the option to do mini workouts on my own in between her sessions.

Onto the foodie part....J's reconstructed her eating habits around the paleo philosophy and is loving how she looks and feels. Recently she made me paleo grain free, dairy free, macaroons which are super fly and she's kind enough to shares her recipe with us. Easy to make....easier to eat....Enjoy!

Paleo Macaroons (grain free)

1 ½ cup almond flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
few shakes of salt
4 tbsp melted coconut oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 mashed banana
1 egg
4 tbsp coconut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Mix together almond flour, baking soda, salt, and set aside.

Mix coconut oil, honey, mashed banana, egg, coconut butter and vanilla.

Add the first mix into the wet stuff along with the shredded coconut.

Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake for about 10-13 minutes!

Protein Boost: Vegan Green Protein Shake & Boku Mochacchino

2011-08-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit picky about my protein powder supplements. I don't like fillers. I don't like extra sugars in things, and i prefer vegan supplements. While hemp seeds themselves are easy to use, the powdered hemp i've used in smoothies seems to impart a really strong flavor into my shakes that i don't always find palatable. I do love my brown rice protein powder, but on it's own with water it's just to chalky and blah. I've found that the secret to a successful protein smoothie really lies in the FROZEN banana. Yup. FROZEN banana....emphasis on FROZEN. Keep bananas until they are ripe and a little spotty. Peel them, tear them into chunks, then freeze them. These frozen bananas not only make your drink super chilly-chill but really thicken it up and make it creamy, sweet, and delicious! The brown rice protein powder that i like is made by BOKU.

Like all protein powders it has a little bit of chalkiness and will alter the taste of whatever you put it in, however i've come up with an easy smoothie that it works fabulously in and makes such a yummy way to either start your day after a workout, or supplement in later. If you'd rather not have as much protein as this provides (26 plus grams), you can cut the recipe in half and have it as an in between meal snack. There are two ways to do your Boku Smoothie....with or without your morning cup o' joe included. I like it both ways.

Green Boku Protein shake:

3 Tbsp Boku Protein Powder
2 tsp Vita-Mineral Greens Powder
1 FROZEN banana (go peel, cut, and freeze your bananas now for tomorrow...it doesn't taste the same without the banana frozen.)
a few dashes cinnamon (i don't measure, but i shake it about 8 times)
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (i like almond breeze refrigerated almond milk)
3 ice cubes
optionally you can add in one fistful of spinach... this does not alter the flavor, just helps you get some greens into your day....i highly recommend!

blend all ingredients in a high powered blender (thin with a small amount of water or almond milk if you need) and ENJOY!

Cup O' Joe or Mochacchino Protein Shake

3 Tbsp Boku Protein Powder
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 FROZEN banana
1 serving of instant coffee (i use decaf because i FREAK OUT when i have caffeine. I just like the flavor)
make it a mocha shake by adding 1 scoop of Chocolate Amazing Grass Superfoods supplement
3 ice cubes
optional dashes of cinnamon
optional sweetener of choice (agave, stevia, etc)

again blend it up and slurp it up!

Boku is not available at most stores...or any that i've ever seen, so you'll need to go HERE if you want to get it. If you have a favorite protein powder you can use it in place of Boku, but no promises on how the taste will come out!

Grilled Greens? OH YEAH, BABY!

2011-08-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

Who'da'thunk you could grill your greens? We all know you can grill a zucchini, a mushroom, even a tomato. I guess it makes sense since the Food Network demonstrated that you can grill a pizza...so why not a salad??? I know it sounds bazaar. A few months back we received an issue of Sunset magazine that highlighted 3 recipes of grilled greens (kale, bok choy, and romaine hearts). I had never really thought about grilling greens before that, but who am i to not to believe Sunset magazine? Their recipes have always been a hit at my house. That night the grill was lit, kale was clipped from the garden, and since there hasn't been a week that we haven't made this AWESOME dish. If you are like some folks i know whose grandparents forced soggy greens on them and therefore protest eating them now, then this is the recipe to try. The smokiness and cripsiness the grill gives the kale is INSANE, plus, if you love kale chips you are going to LUUUUURRRRRVVVVEEEE this recipe! Start with a few bunches of kale since it shrinks up beyond belief when you cook it. You need about one bunch of kale per person - what a great way to get your fill of green stuff!

Grilled Kale:

Step One: De-stem the kale. You can do this by holding the base of the kale stem and pinching your opposite hand at the bottom of the leaf. Pull away from you to remove the leaf. Tear the leaves into smaller 1 or 2 inch pieces. Get rid of the stem, you don't need it for this recipe.

Step Two: Clean your greens. Toss into a bowl of water with sea salt to soak/clean/remove hitch-hikers (aka..BUGS!) Pull the greens from the bowl, rinse, and salad spin to dry

Step Three: Massage your greens. Place in a large bowl and add about 1 TBSP of olive oil. Massage this into all of the leaves so they are coated.

Step Four: Grill your greens. Transfer to a hot grill (using a veggie basket)...you'll mostly likely need to cook in batches. We cook it on the top shelf, cover and let cook about 5 minutes, checking it to make sure you haven't burned your greens. Use tongs to push them around and rotate them.

Step Five: EAT YOUR GREENS! Pull off when all are cooked and lightly crispy brown on some of the ends.

While this is delicious on it's own, it's EVEN BETTER with a little dressing. Here's the BOMB GRILLED KALE DRESSING:

2 Tbsp Tamari
2 Tbsp Tahini
1Tsp of honey (to taste)

Drizzle Bomb Dressing over your greens, top with toasted sesame seeds, and eat up. HOLY GREEN DELICIOUSNESS!

i suggest you cook more than you think you'll need since you'll gobble up the whole lot guiltlessly and then want more!

Light, Refreshing, and Filling: Heavenly Summer Salad

2011-08-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

Here's an easy and absolutely fabulous salad that highlights one of summer's refreshing fruits. This recipe does contain cheese, so feel free to omit the cheese, or use a seed or nut cheese substitution. HOWEVER, i think it's the little bit of stinky cheese in here that makes this dish so much more yummy!

3 cups loosely packed baby spinach, torn
1 heart romaine chopped
thinly sliced red onion (i used a mandolin)
1 nectarine or peach chopped
optionally 1 pear chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tbsp gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles

dressing: seasoned rice wine vinegar, EVOO, lemon, sea salt, and cracked pepper corns

Mix the dressing on the side so that you get it to the acidity that you like, then toss with your salad.

LOVIN' LIMAS!!!!: Fresh, Lean, & Green Summer Salad

2011-07-31T08:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a really simple and flavorful salad to invite to your summer table. I've found that lima beans make a great replacement for edamame/soybeans if you are trying to keep soy out of your diet. The dressing is simply fresh herbs with lemon and cracked black pepper....doesn't get fresher or easier than that!

Fresh, Lean, & Green Summer Salad:

Mixed greens of choice or spinach
1 bag of organic frozen lima beans (cook per directions on bag then put in an ice bath to cool)
1 ripe avocado (halved, pitted, then sliced)
a couple ripe tomatoes (segmented)
handful of cilantro (i use scissors to chop directly onto the salad)
handful of thyme (pull the leaves off the stem by running your finger down the stem in the opposite direction of which the leaves are growing)
lemon (cut in half and squeeze)
cracked black pepper (to taste)
mist of EVOO

Put the greens in a salad bowl and mist with EVOO. Toss in your tomatoes, lima beans, avocado, and chop the herbs right on top of the salad. Squeeze lemon over top making sure to cover avocado so that it doesn't brown. Crank in a little cracked black pepper.

Juice It Up, Yo!: Garden Juice and the Juice Weasel

2011-07-27T16:01:00.000-07:00

Get your Superhero on, yo!!!

Nothing starts the mornings better than a garden green juice. If you have ANY room for a little planter i would highly encourage you to start a little garden. You can easily grow basil, thyme, mint, and rosemary in a window sill, or perhaps a jalapeno pepper plant or a small planter with lettuces on your doorstep or balcony. Doesn't matter...just get growing!

Mornings lately for me have started with a 'garden juice'. While we don't have a HUGE garden, we've done well with greens in our raised beds and herbs in our planters. Right now our front raised bed is a combo of lettuces and chard, chives, fennel, stevia, and some okra growing on the trellis...though i've yet to see any sprouts on it. Every now and again something else will pop up....like a random tomato plant or some kale from seeds that remained in the soil from earlier days.


sooo many greens!!


everyday i snip, snip, snip, and eat, eat, eat, and it seems that these leaves grow overnight! Always an abundance!


for my green juice i just snip whatever is producing, there is no specific green that goes in it. It's usually a combo of chard, kale, and lettuces.....and i use a generous handful.

prep your ingredients: apple, lemon, greens. Peel your apple if it's not organic, and peel the skin off the lemon

You'll need a juicer, obvi.....
If your apple is not organic peel it. This tastes great with red apple also, however if you are trying to keep sugars down opt for green.
Slice to fit your feedhole (not your mouth...the feedhole is a part of the juicer...though i'm not sure that's the true technical term for it), press it, and pour it into a glass.
I like to add about 4 oz of water to mine do mellow out the tart from the green apple and lemon.

This is such an incredibly delicious juice and it makes you feel like a Superhero. Really, no kidding....i couldn't think of anything that could make my day start any better.


sip while listening to your favorite records.....it doesn't get much better than this!

For you avid juicers that need a good laugh, you should watch this HILARIOUS video. My friend Phil posted it for my last cleanse group and it had us all in stitches. Jim Carry at his finest for sure! BE THE JUICE WEASEL!!!!

Making Love In The Kitchen: A Hot Mess

2011-07-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

Rise and Shine Hot Stuff....It's Saturday morning and i'm feeling RANDY!

Clear the counters Sexy, it's time for a love making sesh in the kitch.

Now veggie heads don't be skerred, but yes, there are eggs involved in this love makin' sesh.

Alternately you can always omit the eggs and bump up the amount and variety of veggies to make an even more incredible, possibly even hotter, hot mess of a breakfast.

Here's the basics:
chop up a variety of veggies (i used cooked broccoli, zucchini, yellow bell pepper, spinach, and jalapeno.
Whip up some eggs (i did 4 whites, two yolks) - veggie heads leave it out and use just the black beans
Get your salsa ready, black beans out, slice some avocado, and heat up some corn tortillas in the oven.

Heat the chopped veggies in a pan until cooked lightly (leave spinach or any greens toward the end of cooking). Add a little cooking oil, lower heat, and pour in your eggs if using. While cooking the scramble toss in the greens to wilt lightly. I added a few cranks of black pepper, crushed red chili pepper, and a shake of italian spice mix. Make the salsa.

Salsa ingredients: in a food processor add fresh tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, fresh lime juice, salt, red onion, garlic powder, and tapatio. This was the BF's job.....he likes it HOT!!!!

Serves Two. To serve plate the warm tortilla. Stack with scramble, black beans, salsa, and 1/2 a ripe sliced avocado.

Es muy caliente!!!

pix from the droid phone...not bad, eh??

The Tortilla Chip Fiasco: A Confession & Lesson Learned

2011-07-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

Well the cleanse made it two days....almost. After my happy hour pina coolada and an inspired session blogging i hit the kitchen with the best of intentions to juice. What happened in the kitchen is a completely different story.

The boyfriend was making fresh salsa from these juicy tomatoes we picked from Heidi's garden. I sampled the salsa, as clearly it was cleanse approved, and was tickled by not only the heated kick but also by how my beer guzzling, meat slinging boyfriend made an AWESOME raw and wholesome dish. My willpower faded and the bag of tortilla chips on the counter was all i could see. I fell into a foggy haze of delirium and before i knew it i was two fists deep into tortilla chips and gobbling up the best salsa and the ripest avocado i could have ever dreamed up.

Clearly the cleanse went out the window. However, not all is lost. I got back on board on Sunday eating a very 'cleanse approved' diet and now with the BF out of town for a few days i'm hoping to be less distracted by his indulgent ways.

Now...there is a lesson to my tortilla chip fiasco. Within minutes of devouring chips i was in a drunken state. No kidding. I felt inebriated...drunk...processed foods = toxins....and toxic matter was taking over my body. Not cool. A few minutes after this realization the sick feeling set in. Double not cool. I was just feeling BLAH, gross, kinda sick to my stomach, and it made me realize how horrible processed food is for our bodies....yes, even tortilla chips!!! (albeit if i made them on my own without salt and from fresh tortillas i might not have been feeling quite this sick). Lesson learned. As a matter of fact the very next morning i participated in a class where we got to set an affirmation and mine was "I will continue to put high vibration food/juice into my body daily and with that take out food without life giving properties." Pretty easy to affirm to that when i was feeling hung over from my tortilla chip fiasco.

HOME MADE TORTILLA CHIP RECIPE:

choose corn tortillas with MINIMUM ingredients. label should read corn, salt, lime. OR buy them fresh at a farmers market or reputable vendor.

Stack 3 corn tortillas.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter cut down the center so you have two equal halves.
Slice each of these twice to make 3 triangles on each semi-circle (6 chips all together per tortilla).
Mist lightly with EVOO and place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 shaking the pan or flipping the chips after a couple minutes.
Keep your eyes on them, they will cook fast and be ready in less than 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with salt or hit with a squeeze of lime

If You Like Pina Coladas......

2011-07-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

"Yes I like Pina Coladas...And getting caught in the rain. I'm not much into health food. I am into champagne. If you like making love at midnight...in the dunes on the cape. Then I'm the love that you've looked for. Write to me and escape."

I'm well into my second day of juice cleansing. I can't hardly call this a fast since i've strayed slightly from the liquid only idea to include some slices of cantelope, a cantelope and coconut smoothie, a pina coolada, and banana fro (no)yo. LOL. BUT...good news is that it's all been fruit and veggies (and a little raw nuts ground into the banana soft serve)...all pretty easy to digest/broken down to their simplest edible form. Here's what the past two days have looked like:

Friday:

7am 24 oz Carrot Juice

12pm 20 oz kale, apple, lemon juice with fresh cracked coconut water

YOGA!!!

4pm 25 oz beet, apple, carrot juice

6pm 16 oz apple, chard, lemon (tried first to juice tomatoe and cucumber but wasn't digging the outcome so i tossed it and went back to something i knew i'd like)

8:30pm Cantelope and Coconut Smoothie (made with fresh coconut water and meat)

Late night - while watching the Lincoln Lawyer on Pay Per View: Banana fro (no)yo (2 bananas, date, 2 tbsp almonds, and cinnamon processed into a soft serve)

Saturday:

7am 20 oz apple, lemon, chard juice with fresh coconut water and a few slices of cantelope

YOGA!!!!

11am 24oz beet, apple, carrot with fresh coco water

3pm Banana fro (no)yo : 2 bananas, one date, and 1/4 cup raw cashews processed with cinnamon

Happy Hour: Pina Coolada - recipe below

around 7:30pm i'll have a kale, lemon, apple, ginger juice. Just clipped the kale from me' garden!

I was inspired by a movie called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead and thought to myself, if a 400 lb man can do a juice fast for 60 days i surely can do it for 3.....well as you can see, by day one i was already showing signs of weakness. The good news is that because i've changed my eating habits so much over the past few years it's pretty easy to eat like this on a regular basis....which brings my need for cleansing the body WAY down. So i'm not feeling so guilty...rather thrilled that i get to enjoy all of the amazing seasonal produce by way of juice, smoothie, fresh, or however i wanna serve it up.

Tomorrow will be the last day of juice cleansing and then i'm back to more solid foods. Though now that i've gotton back into my juicer (it's always out, but sometimes gets used more than others), i think i'll continue to start the first half of my day with a fresh pressed juice. Looking forward to breaking my liquid based cleanse tomorrow night with a salad from all the amazing greens growing in our garden!

get your pina coolada on!

Pina Coolada:

Water from one coconut, a few big scrapes of coconut meat from inside the coconut, about 1 1/2 cups of pineapple chunks. blended!

Fro (no)Yo: Dairy Free, Delicious, Whole Foods Soft Serve

2011-07-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

I call it the last supper. It's the night before i'm giving up solid food for an extended period of time. Rather than dreaming about what my last supper might look like, i'm trying to figure out a half decent dish i can make using up any fresh produce left in the fridge. Most likely the berries will go into the freeze, the boyfriend will get the avocados when they get to their perfect ripeness, and i'll be making an 'everything but the kitchen sink' sort of salad for dinner tonight. So since "the last supper" might be less than outstanding, i decided to whip myself up a little fro (no)yo as my 'before the last supper' treat. This is the most amazing (and whole foods) way to have a summer sweet ice cream that doesn't weigh you down, bloat you up, or give you that dairy hangover (for those of you who are lactose intolerant or just fro yo addicted you will LOVE what i'm serving up today...Kali, this recipe is for you girl!!!) You can make this recipe a ba-zillion different ways to create your fave fro yo like flavor, but today's flavor is Nutter Butter Date.

You'll need a food processor and a couple frozen bananas, a date, cinnamon, and almond butter.

When you freeze bananas, make sure you peel them first and then chop them into 1 inch segments.

The basic formula for making your soft serve/fro (no)yo is to whip up 2 frozen bananas in your food processor along with any other flavors you'd like to add. Typically you'll have to blend for a few minutes until the chunks finally process down to a whipped soft serve consistency. You may need to scrape the sides during the first minute or so. Your soft serve will be done in under 5 minutes. Add in ideas would be a cup of frozen berries, a few tbsps of cacao powder, carob/cacao or chocolate chips, mint or vanilla extract or vanilla bean.....

Nutter Butter Date Fro (no)Yo:

2 frozen bananas, 1 or 2 pitted medjool dates, a few dashes cinnamon, and a generous scoop of almond butter.

whip in your food processor for a few minutes until its a light and fluffy soft serve. Pour into a bowl and enjoy.

Not Such A Crummy Way To Start Your Day: Cobbler Crumble

2011-07-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

Good Morning all of you living your grateful lives! Here is one more thing to be grateful of: Cleanse Approved Cobbler...AND you can have it for breakfast!!! OMG really? dessert for breakfast? I say go for it!!! Every morning when you rise you are breaking an 8-10 hour sleeping fast (breakfast = break - fast). Best way to break a fast is with food that's easy to digest. I couldn't think of anything better than hydrating, light, and satisfying fruits! Plus, berries are in season and they are sooooo good right now!

The cobbler is simple to make and i often make a batch to use throughout the week. You can pick any seasonal fruits you like: peaches, nectarines, apricots, strawberries, etc. You really can't go wrong! I've even used this crumble as a topping on banilla soft serve (frozen bananas and vanilla bean in the food processor make an AMAZING soft serve style ice cream).

YUM FACE!!!!!

The cobbler is simple. You'll need:

1/2 cup gluten free oats (bob's red mill)
1/4 cup raw cashews
approximately 4 large pitted medjool dates.
cinnamon

Toss the oats, cashews, and a few dashes of cinnamon in the food processor and whizz it down to the consistency of coarse sand. Add the dates a few at a time and whizz again until you get a somewhat sticky looking sand. Cobbler complete!

Chop fruit into a bowl, (optionally/pictured) add a few tbsp's of fresh hemp seeds (awesome protein/omega boost) and top with a few spoonfuls of crumble. Wha-lah! Not such a crummy way to start the day, eh?

Yum Face: Some Things Never Change

2011-07-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

This is possibly the funniest blog i've ever documented about myself. I know i get a kick out of it, and i'm sure my parents will as well...i'm hoping you too find the humor in it.

It goes like this...When I eat something i really like i make what is now being known as 'The Yum Face': Dimples get amplified, lips purse up, and eyes move into a glazed food fixed haze. I noticed the Yum Face upon uploading some recent pictures my boyfriend took of me slurping down my Papaya Strawberry Heaven Smoothie (recipe below) this weekend. This face had me in stitches and reminded me of a photo from my childhood where i'm practically buried in a bowl of chocolate pudding. Mind you, who doesn't put their yum face on when eating chocolate pudding?

here is Yum Face evidence piece numbero uno:


Yum Face - note tautness of lips, dimple depth, and hard stare at YUMMY substance

Evidence numbero dos:

Yum Face - same pursed lips, dimples, and hard stare on the Yum Factor

LOL. i'd really like to do a side by side but i can't seem to get the pictures to line up right. Regardless, i think you get it. I clearly have a definite YUM FACE. (I think i clearly have some portion control issues too...did you see how big that smoothie was??? I think its as big as my little pin head.)

Wonder what your Yum Face looks like??? Funny how we never know since we don't see ourselves.

...And of course the Wonder Woman bathing suit can not go unmentioned (i'm pretty sure i lived in it for at least a solid year)....i am still channeling my inner Lynda Carter.

"I'm still Wonder Woman!"

Recipe for Papaya Strawberry Heaven:

pure coconut water, papaya chunks, and strawberries blended. it's that easy.

Insert Yum Face here.

Clean Eatin': Another Cleansing Journey & An Awesome Summer Salad

2011-07-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

I feel like i'm always writing about cleansing....doing one, leading one, or needing one. Well here again i'm writing about cleansing. Not so much the why or the how, just that i am, and with that there are challenges one faces to make their food 'cleanse approved'. For me typically it's the salt. The salt and the sugar. I can add in dulse (seaweed flakes) instead of salt, but it's not the same. I can sub out stevia for agave, even upgrade that to a stevia leaf from my backyard, but the greater challenge would be to just not sweeten the food entirely. But, am i ready to go there yet?????.....

For those of you who may be equally challenged i'd like to share some book recommends. All of the books have some cleanse approved recipes, but what's better is all the incredible inspiring information you're given prior to those recipes. It's always great to read about cleansing while you are cleansing...such a great way to stay motivated! Natalia Rose has written a few books that i think are pretty great: "The raw detox diet", and "detox 4 women" (detox 4 women is great but she tends to include more soy sauce, butter, and unpasteurized goat cheese into her recipes in this book....still great recipes, just less 'cleanse approved', and a great read). Cris Carr, a cancer survivor, has also written a great read: "Crazy Sexy Diet". That book is layed out colorfully and fun, and towards the back she's layed out a 21 day cleanse focused around affirmations and daily rituals. For those looking to learn more about why you would include more raw foods into your life check out David Wolfe's "Sunfood Diet Success System". Curious about candida yeast and how to cleanse from it? Read Donna Gate's "The Body Ecology Diet".

Today's recipe was inspired by a pic i saw in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine. Let's just take a moment to praise Martha Stewart for being so frickin' amazing to always be giving us whole food delicious recipes and fun crafts that are incredibly inventive. Her and her team are AMAZING! Okay, onward....the recipe...the lunch....it will take you about 5 minutes to prepare IF you have hard-boiled eggs ready. If not, get some hard boiled and leave em ' in the fridge, they make great snacks and are perfectly ready to add to salads or feed to your pooch (egg is really good for doggies too...and they LOVE them. seeeeeeeeee.....).

Green Bean Summer Salad:

ingredients: green beans, tomato, avocado, basil, evoo, black pepper, hard boiled egg

Grab a Huge Handful of green beans and trim the ends. Cut each bean in thirds. Toss into a pot of water and get it to boil (about 3-5 minutes). remove and rinse them with cold water to stop cooking so they are left a little crunchy.
Meanwhile cut 1/2 a tomato or grab a handful of grape or cherry tomatoes and halve.
clip basil from the garden and cut thin
Slice 1/2 an avocado and toss into this mixture
about a tsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a few solid cranks of black pepper. Toss everything together well.
Quarter a hard boiled egg and add it to the salad.

SOOOOOOOOO GOOD....SOOOOOOOOOO EASY......SOOOOOOO FAST

wanna keep it raw??? don't cook the green beans and sub out the egg for either pine nuts or sprinkle with raw-mesan (pine nuts, walnuts, and nutritional yeast chopped fine in a food processor to resemble parmesan).

Just not into eggs? Try black beans or garbanzos to keep it vegan

Cantelope Coconut Mocktail: My Post Yoga Martini

2011-07-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

Yes you read that right, a post yoga martini.

Well kind of...

It's in a martini glass, it makes me smile, and i've had 2 and am feeling pretty spunky. Actually i'm on my third as i write this. Clearly i had to keep refilling my martini glass (i'm sure that's not the first time you've heard that) to see how many servings this recipe produced. Three. Three is the answer. And now that i'm all fired up on mocktail spirits i'm running off to the farmers market to see what else i can whip up in my blender, pour, and sip on during this cleansing adventure. Oh yes, i'm cleansing. The summer has come and i'm ready to feel the best i can in my skin, in my body, in my spirit putting only high vibration food in me. This mocktail is vibrating like CRAZEEEEEE folks. I'm seriously about to leap from my seat, hit the ground and go running....and for those of you who know me well, you know i'm no runner. So, here it is. Get out your cleaver, your coconut cracking muscles, slice up half a cantelope, blend & pour, and get drunk on this super hydrating post yoga martini.

Cantelope Coconut Mocktail:

1/2 a medium cantelope chopped (remove seeds and skin)
Water from one large coconut (1 1/2 to 2 cups coco water)
Generous Scoop of coconut flesh (a few tbsp - i scooped out about 1/4 of the flesh)

Blend well and enjoy. Makes 3 martinis.

Happy 4th of July: Easy Raw Livin' & New Jane Jewels

2011-07-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

Official Business - New Jane Business Cards!

Happy 4th of July Friends! I hope there are some fireworks in your near future along with a sunny day, some bike riding, maybe a BBQ or two, and lots and lots of smiling faces! This is one of my absolute favorite days of the year! I'm a HUGE HUGE HUGE lover of fireworks and for me this day really marks the celebration of summer. HOLLAH!!!! Here's a great little Independence Day note my girlfriend Melli sent me earlier this week. I especially like the second "D" I've highlighted for you.

I     accept my unique preciousness, loving myself unconditionally
N    ewness awaits me in every area of my life
D    oubt evaporates as faith surfaces
E    ach day brings promises of spiritual surprises
P    eople in my life are messengers of God
E    very moment is a gift from God
N    ever depend on any person for your well being
D    on't just spend time - invest it by planting positive seeds
E    njoy your day/week/month/year/life
N    ever say 'never' - with God everything is possible
C    hange your 'thinking' - change your Life
E    very demonstration happens in time and on time

D    elays are temporary - be patient
A    lways maintain an attitude of gratitude
Y    our first success comes after your last failure

I also wanted to share with you how flippin' AMAZING this month's issue of Whole Living Magazine is. There is an awesome section with raw food recipes and beautiful photos (i've pasted a few below with links to the recipes). Reading through the recipes, they are simple and easy for even the kitchen novice to approach.

Sprouted summer salad: click here for recipe

Strawberry Oat Bars: click here for recipe

Zucchini Pasta: click here for recipe

And news on the Jane Front: Sculpt Fusion Yoga is now carrying my line of jewels. All pieces are made with semi precious stones for their healing properties. New business cards read:

"healing semi precious stones, femininity & sass, and a touch of glamour, Baby."

Though not on my etsy page yet, i do have a couple necklaces:

amazonite and agate

agate is known for it's grounding qualities and helps to dispel negative energy. Amazonite helps to calm.

And of course more danglers are online for your shopping, gifting, and wearing pleasure:

meredithgnau.etsy.com

my little vintage box of goodies

Sweet Treat: Rawlicious Choco Cookie Dough Bites

2011-06-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

It's late June and summer has finally arrived. While i'm looking forward to this July 4th weekend and all the BBQ's, decadent foods and drinks, bike rides, and socializing that's to be had, i'm equally looking forward to bringing in beach season (and my desire to feel my best in my bikini) by participating in (and leading) a 20 day cleanse starting the end of next week. With that said....i have 7 days left to enjoy the richness of life (though i always like to keep it with a cleaner approach). So for my last hoorah, and to inspire you how to clean up your fave cookie dough recipe, here's a great approach for a safe to eat chocolate chip cookie dough that never needs to be cooked.

Here's what you'll need:

a vitamix blender or other high powered mill (food processor or coffee mill - though you'd have to do the coffee mill in batches)
1 cup cashew pieces
1/2 cup gluten free raw oats (bob's red mill)
approx 3 tbsp agave nectar
approx 1 -2 tbsp water
cinnamon
vanilla
sea salt
a few handfuls of chocolate chips (or use cacao nibs for a full raw experience)

look at the right side of the image, just below center. There was a little lady bug trying to be in my cookie dough photo shoot.

The Easy Peasy Recipe-sy goes like this:

Toss the cashew pieces and oats into your vitamix blender (or other high powered mill like a food processor or coffee mill in batches). Grind down to a fine powder/flour. Add the agave nectar to your flour, a dash or two of cinnamon, a tbsp of water, a crank of sea salt, and about a tsp of vanilla extract. Blend again. If dough is stingy add a little more water to get things moving, but make sure you keep it a thick dough. Remove your dough from the blender, set in a small mixing bowl, and stir in a few handfuls of the best choco chips you can find. take small spoonfuls to roll between your hands, place on a parchment lined plate and place in your fridge or freezer. My batch yielded about 13 balls, though if i didn't eat so much dough in the process i might have 15 total. :)

For a play by play of the recipe with images and other great sweets check out this blog in which inspired these choco cookie bites: Love Veggies & Yoga

PEACE!!!

For The Fast Foodie: Oven Roasted Frenchy Fries

2011-06-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just gotta have a fry.

Who doesn't love french fries? They're rich, creamy, salty, and delicious. If they weren't so darn fattening i would eat french fries all the time! Here's my double take on the YUMMIEST, CRISPY EDGED, CREAMY CENTERED, frenchy fries that keep you fit as a fiddle and won't cause you to have to run an extra mile the next day.

SOOO YUMMY!!!

Frenchy Fingerlings:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Scrub 1 lb of fingerling potatoes (leave the skin on)
Cut finglerings in half long way down the center. If some of the halves are very large slice those in half as well.
Place on a greased baking sheet (mist with EVOO) and drizzle with about 2 TBSP of olive oil.
Mix with hands to coat well. Add coarse sea salt, cracked black pepper, and fresh rosemary
Roast at 400 degrees about 20-25 minutes (or until nearly done), taking the pan out once or twice to shake or flip potatoes.
Once they are cooked through turn your oven to broil for 5 minutes to crisp. Watch them during this process to make sure they do not burn, you may need to take the pan out and shake or flip the potatoes.

That's it. serve them with organic ketchup for an authentic frency fry feel.

These puppies are AWESOME!!! And will surely fix any fast food french fry craving only without the guilt or saturated fats.

And last but not least, what would my blog be these days without a shameless plug for my jewelry line? Check out the newest Jane Jewels at meredithgnau.etsy.com.

turquoise and silver necklace and earrings

Delicious Living: Blueberry-Lemon Sorbet

2011-06-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

Tell me that doesn't look amazing? This is not my recipe nor my picture, nor have i tried to make it or have sampled it yet. I stumbled upon this recipe and pic while flipping through a copy of Delicious Living magazine and couldn't wait to share it with you. Delicious Living is a free zine you get at Jimbo's market, and most likely some other health food markets too. I've made recipes from the mag before that have become some of my fave standbys. I had never looked up their website until now, and i'm so glad i did! There are so many delicious looking healthy recipes that are E-A-S-Y. If you have an ice cream maker give this one a try and let me know how it turns out for you! If not, check out their website to get a hearty dose of healthy living recipes and good for your body tips!

Blueberry-lemon sorbet:

Makes about 3 1/2 cups. This fat-free, all-fruit sorbet adds lemon for refreshing tartness. For a smoother texture, strain the blueberries through a fine-mesh sieve before freezing.

Ingredients:

¼ cup apple juice or white grape juice
1/4 cup raw, unfiltered honey
18 ounces fresh blueberries, divided
1 large lemon
1/8 teaspoon salt
Fresh lemon verbena or lemon balm, for garnish

1. In a small saucepan, warm juice and add honey; stir until completely dissolved. Combine with 3 cups blueberries in a food processor and purée until smooth.

2. Zest and juice lemon. Add lemon juice and salt to blueberry mixture and pulse to combine. Pour into a prepared ice-cream-maker canister, stir in all but 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

3. To serve, place one scoop in each serving dish and garnish with remaining lemon zest, remaining blueberries, and lemon verbena or lemon balm, if desired. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING (1/2 cup): 82 cal, 0g fat (0g mono, 0g poly, 0g sat), 0mg chol, 1g protein, 22g carb, 2g fiber, 43mg sodium

Dairy Do-er?: For a creamier option substitute milk, cream, or try a milk alternative for the grape juice, omit the lemon, and add 1/2 cup organic Greek yogurt.

Mid Week Cleanse: Day Three Complete

2011-06-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

Even just a few short days of eating clean (no dairy, gluten, soy, chocolate, alcohol, or processed foods) can make a huge difference. If you've been tuning in these past few days to my blog but haven't taken the leap yourself....now is the time! You'll eat plenty of yummy, whole plant foods. You'll feel incredible and super strong. You'll wake up early and become very productive. So what's holding you back?

I posted yesterday's blog right before dinner. Unfortunately my dinner didn't turn out as amazing as i had hoped. It tasted great, HOWEVER my broccoli was buggy. Those dang little aphids where burrowing in the broccoli's bushy end. Using a fork i picked at the bugs (then steamed and dead), not to mention the sizable green caterpillar i found as well, i decided to give up on my dinner. Gross, i know, but i eat from the earth, and that's what happens time to time. So needless to say i had lost my appetite. A little later it did return, so i sliced up a banana and a few strawberries from the farmer's market and ate those with some raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds. A much safer, bug-free meal. It did the trick.

here's today's menu/journal:

5am (before i taught yoga): 1/2 an orange, red rooibos tea

8am, breakfast: Coco-cilantro HONEYDEW smoothie. A delicious variation on Tuesday's recipe du'jour (click for recipe and add a cup of cut honeydew melon and kick up the cilantro). 1/4 of a honey melon.

10:30am i'm taking sarah brown's yo-yo-yo-yoga class as i do every thursday to get my sweat on!!!

12pm, light lunch: hardboiled egg, handful of baby carrots (i had 30 minutes to eat something light before i had to teach another couple classes.)

3:30pm snack (just finished teaching, feeling famished!): 1 cucumber and 1/4 honeydew melon

4:30pm early evening snack: steamed green beans with tamari

(when i leave work at 4 i'm usually ready for a meal since i eat lightly during the hours i teach yoga, but if i'm having dinner with andy i typically choose a nutrient dense snack instead so we can dine together.)

6pm: a couple spoonfuls of nutrition yeast mixed with water and stevia.

7pm, dinner: 1 hard boiled egg chopped in with 1 1/2 cup serving of brown rice, dressed with stone ground mustard, flax oil, lemon, and tamari. (was feeling like i needed some dense foods)

post dinner indulgence will be fresh ripe farmers market strawberries and mint tea.

Upon a recommendation from my friend Haley, i went and saw her Clinical Nutritionist to get muscle tested for supplements. It was a great experience. Annette from Zen Enterprises/Full Circle Nutrition is a total spitfire and a true intuitive. She'll tell you stuff that she would have no way of knowing, just by putting her hands on you. CRAZY...and super cool! I brought every supplement that was in my cabinet (none of which i was taking at the time) and had her test them all on me. She instantly threw away the Vit C with rose hips from Solgar, explaining they had a very negative energy. She got rid of my Rainbow Light Energizer/Multi (which didn't really surprise me), and she said my B12 dots weren't really doing it for me. Not a bad product, just not for me. What she had me keep and i'm now taking are:

Chlorophyll (5 daily)
CoQ10 100mg (1 daily)
Host Defense (mushrooms/4 daily)
Vitalzyme (enzyme, 4 daily)
Multi from Super Nutrition (1 daily)
B-50 Complex (3 daily)
Probiotic (50 billion/3 daily)
Floridex/iron supplement) (15 ml, twice daily only for 4-6 weeks)

When the chlorophyll runs out she suggested chlorella tabs for a deeper metal detox. I've never used so many supplements at once, but i'm stoked to have someone be able to read me and see where my imbalances are, so i'm trusting in this process. She also tested me for certain foods and said i did well with hemp and eggs and suggested that i make bone broth for additional protein. Though i haven't done this yet, nor am i sure i am going to, my good friend Heidi recently got me a great cookbook called Nourishing Traditions that has recipes for bone broth. Too coincidental??? hmmm, maybe it's what i need? Annette also verified that i don't do well with dairy, soy, or wheat...all of which i'd already figured out. She suggested that i eat nutritional yeast which i love but haven't been enjoying lately. I picked some up today since i like to put it in my dog's food, and served myself a few tbsps mixed with water and stevia. Within minutes i had a crazy histimine reaction. Rashy and itchy skin especially at my elbows and knees and my left ear lit up. It got so bad i had to race down to the rite aid to pick up some benedryl to squelch the red itchies. Oddly enough, i've eaten nutritional yeast a lot in the recent past and never had this before. I guess i'll have to test it another day, but that for sure seems like an allergic reaction or sensitivity.

What about you?? Do you have favorite supplements you swear by? I'd love for you to share them in the comments below along with your cleanse menu. Keep the inspiration flowing friends! Tomorrow day will be the last of my mid week clean journey. Tomorrow night maddness ensues as the bachelorette weekend begins....

Mid Week Cleanse: Dia Dos

2011-06-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

Day Two down of my short work week cleanse. Are any of you cleansing with me??? ...Or let me guess, you're just living vicariously through my short cleansing journey.

I added a couple beets in today since they are such great liver cleansers. The red one was used in my pressed juice and the golden was used in today's recipe: Hara Mara Inspired Skinny Dip.

Here's what i've been munching today...

5 am: 1/4 of a cantelope, red rooibos tea

breakfast, 8:30am: 1/2 of a fresh pressed juice (1 bunch celery, 1 head romaine, apple, beet, lemon, stevia), 1/4 of cantelope

mid morning snack, 11:30: remaining half of pressed juice

lunch 1:30pm: remaining 1/2 of the cantelope, one hard boiled egg

mid afternoon snack, 3:30pm: carrots and cut jicama sticks with hara mara inspired skinny dip made with avocado, carrot, and yellow beet. (see recipe du'jour below)

early evening snack, 5pm: nibbled on strawberries at the farmers market. YUM!

dinner 7:00: steamed broccoli with a dressing of avocado, tamari, tahini, and stevia sprinkled with pan toasted sesame seeds.

The toughest part for me generally is the night time when i get my sweet tooth on. The best way i have found to handle it is with either a cup of mint tea, a little bowl of fresh cut fruit, or a smoothie or green drink. Last night after dinner i sliced a banana and a few strawberries...perfectly cleanse approved sweet. Another great distraction from your sweet tooth is to get yourself moving. Consider taking a yoga class to wind down your day or a trek around the hood with the pooch.

Here's your recipe du'jour: Hara Mara inspired Skinny Dip

Ingredients: 1 carrot, 1 golden beet, 1/2 a large ripe avocado, 1 lemon wedge, 1 clove garlic

Chop the carrot and golden beet.
Steam or boil both until soft
Let veggies cool briefly then add to your blender with 1/2 a large avocado, 1 clove of garlic, squeeze in a lemon wedge, and blend well to puree. You'll need to use a plunge or spoon to help push the ingredients in the blender. If you need liquid to get it moving (i didn't) you could add a small amount of water from the pot your boiled/steamed your veggies in, a teaspoon at a time.

Eat with any veggie crudites: carrots, jicama, cucumber, etc

*pictures from google images.

Mid Week Cleanse: Detox To Retox

2011-06-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

my pup always reminds me to stop and smell the roses!

Oh Lordy...June is already proving to be quite a celebratory month for this little Gemini. Not only am i faced with birthdays from all my cosmic twins (which it seems i have a lot of), but i've got bachelorettes, weddings, weekends away with my beau, and all sorts of wild adventures happening throughout the month.

Last weekend we melted poolside in palm springs. It was super hot...super fab...super retro...and super celebratory. We celebrated my birthday and our 4 year anniversary.

Del Marco Hotel...it's ooh-la-la so retro chic!

Notice the mimosa aside Whole Living magazine. Getting our Vitamin D and C poolside with a great read.

Every issue of Whole Living has a page of thoughts they call "10 thoughts on whole living". These quotes are always inspirational or reflective. My favorite from this month was #8:

"Don't obsess over weight loss. Wellness is about making your life bigger, not smaller."

Here are the other 9:
"Rather than try to fix your body, focus on how you want it to feel."
"The mark of true confidence is the ability to look someone in the eye"
"Let the seasons guide your diet. The earth grows what you need when you need it."
"Respect your feet. They've mastered the art of staying grounded while moving forward"
"Take charge of your own reflection: stop letting the mirror win"
"enlightenment doesn't always make a grand entrance. It slowly transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary."
"Change happens somewhere between the acceptance of now and the anticipation of what's to come"
"Surprise yourself: push past your physical limits."
"Nothing connects you to who you are quite like the people who knew you when."

Since i've been (and will continue to be) imbibing on weekends throughout June it's pretty important that i take the weekdays to allow my body the time to recover, strengthen, restore, and detoxify. So for the next few days this blog will serve as my cleanse journal. Perhaps you're ready for a little mid week 'clean her up' too....and if you are please join me for the ride. Hit the market and load your basket with fresh organic produce, get lots of greens and some lemons to add to your water, to juice, and squeeze on your veggies, and consider adding in some cleansing supplements like chlorophyll to help chelate heavy metals out of the body. I'll blog my menu - comment back with yours. We'll support each other.

If you are unable to cleanse this week, but would like to commit to a full 20 day program, i'll be hosting the next one in July at Core Power Point Loma. Details to come!

Today's menu/journal:

early am (5am, before i taught yoga): banana, red rooibos tea

breakfast, 8am: fresh pressed green juice (one head romaine, one bunch celery, one apple, two lemons, stevia) and 1/4 of a cut cantelope

snack, noon: 1/4 of cut cantelope

exercise: SCULPT CLASS FROM SARAH PEARLSTEIN - thank you for kicking my arse Sarah!!!

lunch, 3pm: one hard boiled egg, 1 1/2 cups baby carrots, remaining half of the cantelope.

snack, 6pm: Coco Cilantro Green Smoothie - RECIPE du-jour:

coconut water from one young coconut

a few spoonfuls of coconut flesh from that coconut

3 large handfuls of spinach

1/3 of a ripe avocado

small amount of cilantro

and stevia to taste

dinner, 7:30pm: small mixed greens salad with lemon, zuchini, avo, crushed red pepper and cumin, and dry toasted sesame seeds. Steamed green beans with a sauce made from 1 tbsp tahini, 1 tbsp tamari, one slice avo, water, and stevia.

The coco-cilantro smoothie was delicious. The beau tried it out (he now makes himself a green smoothie every morning) and said he liked it so much he thought he'd start adding cilantro to his. Cilantro has great chelating/detoxing properties. My pug was all about it too....i was trying to take a few pix of the beautiful orchid my girlfriend Melissa got me for my bday, and he had to stop and check it (and my green drink) out. How could i resist not posting such a cute photo???

toooooo cute!

he actually eats organic gluten free green food everyday, check out honest kitchen for your pooch

so good and sooo green!

...And last but not least, now it's time to show you the newest Jane Jewels. I've been selling them as quick as i make em' so my etsy site isn't very current. If you see something posted here you like let me know and i'll make a custom pair for you.

FEATHERS!!

!!!!MORE FEATHERS!!!!

citrine stone helps promote happiness

turquoise helps to align your chakras

LOOPS!!! medium loop with turquoise drops

big ol' loops with citrine


medium citrine loops

AND....dangly things....

agate is grounding and helps dispel negative energy

more turquoise

....i'll be back tomorrow with another cleanse day/journal. See you then!!

Happy Birthday To Me: A Restorative & Foodie Friendly Day In LA

2011-05-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

The best gift this Gemini could get for her birthday is a day of restoration....and that's exactly the gift i gave myself. Just me, on my own time card, doing what i love where i love. No responsibility, no work, no strict agenda, no one else, just me on my own device, taking time to appreciate the things i love.

I took the day off to cruise up to LA to my old stomping grounds, venice beach and santa monica. The traffic was a doozy, but well worth it. After my 3 hour trek (should have been about a 1/3 less of that time) my first stop was the mother of all Whole Foods in Venice. I arrived at 11am hungry for a little mid morning sniggity. This particular Whole Foods is BEYOND AMAZING. It's HUGE and a vegan/vegetarian/raw foodists/single ladies mecca. I swear single chaps are casing the joint, hanging at the tables outside, eating, and waiting to catch your eye or converse over the newest local food item, juice medley, or kombucha flavor.

notice on the left the 'venice' sign graffiti'ed onto the building. Classic venice.

Look at all the amazing raw foods they make in house!!

And a vegan taqueria??? really? This is insane!

My next stop was YAS (yoga and spin). I LOVE YAS.....LOVE! It's just an awesome spin class. Simple sequence. You know what you're getting. It's only 40 minutes so you push it every song....you sweat....you sing....you spin. It's fab.

plus it's on abbott kinney in shopping heaven.

view from the studio. they used to put the garage door up during class, but they didn't this time :(

And to rehydrate myself after spin, I hit the lowe's hotel pool, grabbed some rays, and sipped on a freshly muddled raspberry mojito. AMAZING!

view of the santa monica pier and beach from the pool

the BEST mojito i've ever had.

Time to shop! I hit the 3rd street promenade to check out the new mall that opened there. Plus, Nordstrom is having there half yearly sale. HOLLAH!


view of the prom from the mall

Just a few days prior to my arrival, "The Market" opened at the mall. It's a fabulous, glammed out, localized, mostly organic food court. Muy impressive i must say. This is no mall food court that i've ever seen. It's more like a sampling of something you'd see at the embarcadero in SF. All local, all fresh, and many organic vendors. One of my favorite breakfast spots i often eat at when i'm in LA "The Curious Palate" is in there, as is the most fabulous gelato and sorbet shop: Nice Cream.

ilovenicecreamcom

I've read about Nice Cream before and seen their shop on Abbot Kinney, but had never gone in. Nice cream is the kind of stuff us foodie lovers dream about. Beyond amazing dairy based gelato and sorbet, they boast VEGAN (dairy free and soy free) sorbets too. I chatted with the owner, Laura, over a Nice Cream Cone. Her and her husband moved from Copenhagen Denmark where apparently gelato shops were huge. They wanted to open a business that was all about the right thing - simple ingredients and fresh real flavor. I sampled the 4 vegan sorbets (there are a bunch of dairy based gelatos that also looked beyond amazing). The vegan choices out that day were lemon, mango, chocolate, and strawberry...all of them delicious. She uses guar gum as a stabilizer. This makes it possible to keep her vegan nice creams to basically 4 ingredients: guar gum, water, cane sugar, and flavor. This also keeps the calories low. At around 60 calories per 4 oz serving (depending on flavor) these nice creams are not only pleasant on the palette but nice on the waist line too.

she mentioned that the pistachio rocks! (dairy based gelato)


seriously delicious vegan nice cream - dairy free..soy free.

All of this foodie business aside, the best dollar i spent all day went to a performer on the promenade.

Sad to see how empty his jar was because i could have watched him all day. Now this might not appeal to you the way it did me, but seriously...a skeleton puppet singing Al Green with a clown chilling and witch pumpin on the piano? How could you not be entertained. Priceless.

Off to yoga at Exhale. I took Seane Corn's class and yes she is absolutely amazing! Loved the class. It was all hip opening and focus on outward leg rotation. By the time i got to pigeon i pretty much just melted through the earth.

...and for my last stop of the day, din din at a raw restaurant: Juliano's Planet Raw.

I tried photographing my food, but it was dark and the flash over exposed the pix....so you'll just have to add your own imagry here. It had been a while since i've eaten here and while the food is good it's not as amazing as i remember...or perhaps my palette has changed. What i love about raw foods is the freshness. The lightness. Mary's Secret Garden in Ventura has nailed this aspect. This place seems more about raw transition/celebratory raw foods. Heavy in nama shoyu (salt) and pumpkin seed or nut pates, i felt the food was tastey was a bit too decadent for my belly. I ordered more than i could eat so i packed up the extras to take home, but i doubt i'll eat the leftovers. The drive back from LA was slightly uncomfortable. I only ate a handroll and some raw fries (zuchini crusted in buckwheat), but my belly was not digging it.

I arrived home at 11. Wired. Andy had a gluten free cupcake from cupcakes squared for me. I would post a picture if i still had the cupcake, but it didn't make it 2 tics before it was devoured. Any discomfort from dinner was forgotten about when i saw the cupcake....well until the next morning. I had a bit of a foodie hangover. But no regrets. It's okay to indulge on your birthday!

The Round Zuchini Challenge Becomes A Vegetarian Feast

2011-05-20T07:12:00.000-07:00

Challenge: To find use of a grapefruit shaped zuchini from my friend's CSA

Result: A Vegetarian Feast

My friend and fellow yogi, Casey, gave me a huge round zucchini yesterday from her CSA. She mentioned that not only did she get more food than she can eat this week, but that she was challenged to use some of the produce. I hear this often from folks that go with CSA. I too can sometimes stare in marvel at a crazy piece of produce that i can't identify, but that's part of the fun: figuring out what it is and how to make it something spectacular.

HUGE!

The round zuchini proved hardly a challenge for me since i eat a lot of zuch's and have many recipe ideas for them, however this was the largest and roundest zuchini i ever worked with (about the size of a grapefruit), which actually made it PERFECT for mandoline slices to be used as chips, shells, raw-violis, or wraps.

sliced finer than 1/8 inch

I had picked up some organic corn the day prior at the co-op down the road. Cut from the cob and mixed with chopped tomato, red onion, cilantro, black beans, cumin, EVOO, and sea salt, it made a great stuffing for my now 'zuchini taco shells'.

i used a spring-form pan to form the corn salad stack

tapatio was great on this

Andy was making his specialty - Guacamole. He used a trader joes kit and added some cilantro from our garden.

The zuch slices also made great chips for scooping up some guac.

There were still more slices left after all was said and done. These became the easiest dish ever, zuchini carpaccio. Lay out the slices, drizzle with EVOO, some coarse sea salt, and fresh sliced basil from the garden.

so simple - so good.

Andy also grilled some portobella mushrooms and the extra ear of corn i purchased, but by the time we sat to eat neither of us was too hungry from nibbling on the guac. We managed to make our way through the zuch and the corn salad. The mushrooms are going to have to be used in a salad tomorrow.

incredibly fresh and delicous veggie feast!!!

In Season: Berry Divine 10 Minute Fresh & Fabulous Raw Strawberry Pie

2011-05-18T20:55:00.000-07:00

The best, freshest, healthiest, 10 minute Raw Strawberry Pie you'll ever have!

First make your crust:

3 medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup raw almonds
pinch of sea salt
agave nectar (approx 1 Tbsp)

Put the almonds in the food processor first and grind down to a powder. Add the pitted dates and a pinch of sea salt. Process again until blended well. Check the consistency. You want to be able to pinch it together so it sticks.

While the crust is rotating in the food processor add about 1 Tbsp of agave nectar to get the tackiness you need in your crust. Spray a mini tart pan with no stick spray or wipe with coconut oil.

This is the step i forgot and it made it pretty impossible to take the crust out of the pan in the form that was set.

Once the dough is done processing form a ball with all the dough and press it into a tartlet pan. These pans have a bottom piece that pushes out so it's easy to remove your crust once it's set.

All you need is 3 organic ripe strawberries. Rinse, hull, and slice these thin.

Put the strawberries in a bowl and drizzle with about 1 tsp of agave nectar, stir well, then lay your strawberries into your crust.

Put in the fridge to set for about 30 minutes. Once set, push the bottom of the tartlet pan to remove your pie from the pan. (Hopefully you remember to spray your pan so you don't have the same sad problem my little pie had)

But really....it didn't matter...

It was just for me and it tasted just as amazing!

Le Petit Parfait: Breakfast Bowl of Champions

2011-05-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

By now most of you have seen of, heard of, or had an acai bowl. While i'm not the biggest fan of acai, i love the idea of 3 of my favorite things (fruit, granola, and smoothie) in a bowl. So why not ditch the acai and make a little of your fave smoothie or green drink and plop that in a bowl with cut fruit and 'nola? This is just the question i asked myself today, and what i discovered will forever change my breakfast eating ways.

First let me start by saying i love....LOVE eating and drinking out of glass jars. Don't ask me why...i don't know....but i really enjoy it. I save nut butter jars, spaghetti sauce jars, olive jars, mason jars....you name it...i save it. These jars are great for transporting your green drinks in and make great (portable) containers for your breakfast bowls as well!

Over this weekend when you ponder..."hmmm, what should i have for breakfast today?", try this on:

Blend a small amount of your favorite smoothie. Pour into a jar and top with fresh cut fruit and granola.

Really...it's that easy. Here's what i mixed in the pictured smoothie bowl:

About 1 cup of papaya blended with half a banana and 3 ounces water. Pour into jar.
Top with the other half of banana, sliced, 2 chopped strawberries, and granola

10 (mostly) Foodie Things I Am Grateful For.

2011-05-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

1. Carrot and Papaya Smoothies. This has to be at the top of my list because i'm so into them right now! (Press 10 carrots through a juicer and blend with 1/2 a papaya). These are so refreshing, perfect for warm weather days, and make me feel amazing. Plus they totally quench an ice cream craving!

2. The fact that my little beach town has a juice bar right next to the bead store that i'm in all the time AND that they make carrot and papaya smoothies!

3. Numi Red Rooibos Tea and Yogi Peppermint Tea. Without you i would have a much harder time rising at 5am.

4. Stone Ground Mustard. Add cumin, EVOO, a splash of balsamic and some stevia and you have a killer salad dressing.

5. Rudi's gluten free bread. It's so nice to be able to enjoy sammies time to time, plus i'm loving just making a piece of toast with hard boiled egg, avocado, and sea salt. num.

6. Sweet Potatoes. Does anyone need an explanation on this one? They have to be like the number one most delicious food. The boyfriend mashed some up on Easter with cinnamon and 'oh my god': simply divine.

7. Greens, green juices, and green smoothies. I can never eat/drink enough greens. I am grateful that our garden is so abundant.

8. Tamari. If your dish is lacking flavor, tamari will usually take care of it. Are your steamed veggies and brown rice a little boring tonight? Try adding tamari!

9. Guacamole and corn tortillas. We make guac fresh with cilantro from our garden. If you've never made guac before you need to get on it. It's simple, delicious, and tastes awesome on baked corn tortillas. (A few pitted avos, mashed with a handful of cilantro, sea salt, lemon, and cayenne or jalapeno. Save the pits to put in the bowl with the guac. This helps it from browning). Get fresh corn tortillas at a farmers market, slice into triangles, mist with EVOO and salt and bake at 400 for about 7 minutes or until done to your liking. Hit it with Tapatio!

10. Numero 10 is a combo of many other non foodies things i am gratful for: My Pug. My Boyfriend. My amazing friends and family. My job and the beautiful community of yogis that i'm surrounded by daily. My home for keeping me safe, dry, and warm. And my hands for allowing me to craft.

Speaking of crafting.....here are some new danglers i posted on etsy (meredithgnau.etsy.com) :

We're Having An Etsy Party: Personally Meet & Shop 'The Rusty Schwinn' & 'Jane Shop'

2011-05-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends. Have you been to my etsy site yet???? I'm so diggin' these chain danglers. I've been getting really great stones and embellishments: turquoise, coral, shell, and i just picked up some ruby to work with too.

My friend Diane of 'The Rusty Schwinn' and i are planning to host an Etsy party soon. If you are an Etsy crafter in the area and would like to be part of this fun shopping, partying extravaganza hit me up! Diane makes beautiful scarves and fun feather earrings. Plus she's just super rad! Check out her esty site and her blog (click).

What do you want at your Etsy party??? Of course there'll be fun jewels and other sassy fun things to shop for. What about Vino? Snacks? Music? Cupcakes? Raffles? Discounts? All of the above? Tell me what would draw you in and i'll make it happen!

Here's a preview (with links) to new pieces you'll find on my etsy site:


i am in love with these. Turquoise and coral - ooooh la la.

Turquoise and Coral danglers at Jane Shop on Etsy (click for link to buy)

By the way...if you live in San Diego I'll wave all the shipping fees. Woo hoo!!! So email me via etsy and let me know which ones you like'y and i'll send you a private link sans shipping.

coral and faux bone/shell danglers - Dazzling Dahhhling!

Link to etsy at (click): coral and faux bone chain danglers

Those coral teardrops have this stunning sunburst design on them. Beauty!


long chain, faux bone/shell, and turquoise dangl'ahzzz.

link to those sassy's here: long chain bone/shell/turquoise

i named these ones Brooke, because they remind me of what my girlie Brooke would rock. C'mon Sister - put in yo' custom order. click here if you want these 6 inch chain, shell, and turquoise earrings

These earrings look great worn as they are sold (as a pair) or even better when mis-matched. Have fun, buy a pair for yourself, a pair for a friend, for your ma for mothers day, and your sistaz for being your sistaz. Share or trade singles to make your individual pair, or hit me up for a customized order. I'm having so much fun making these - keep the orders coming!

Pugs and Pins and Needles, all things Green, and Hobbies: Oh My!

2011-04-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

maaaaaa. let's go for our walk!

If you live in So Cal, you are loving life right now. The weather is insanely beautiful, and it's been far too long since we've experienced days like these. Given that we didn't have many sunny days last summer, this spring time sunshine is a pleasant reminder of why i live in San Diego.

kale ready to juice from me' garden

Being such a sunny morning my garden was calling to me as i walked by. Our kale is growing like mad with two of the stalks over 4 feet tall! I was reminded today of how amazing it is to start your day with a green drink. I fell off the green smoothie bandwagon for a week or two. My back went out last friday and I've felt stagnant, sore, grumpy, annoyed, achy, mad, and all out frustrated. I started to eat eggs (which i haven't done in over year). Hard boiled eggs and fried eggs on toast. I skimped on the green drinks and noticed that although i still ate salads and veggies daily, my fiber consumption dropped, as did my 'greens' consumption. My digestion/elimination cycle changed/slowed. My body is slow to heal (It's been a whole week and i've not been able to exercise, let alone hardly twist side to side due to the pain i've been in). Then i started to think....now is the time i need fresh juice and green drinks more than ever - when my body needs the enzymes to heal. Duh. I swear, i can talk and talk and talk about what i know is 'right', but often i have to hit myself over the head to hear myself...."woman - take your own stinkin' advice!" And so i juiced. And ohhhh, was it good. I cut kale from the garden and pressed it with beet and broccoli i picked up at the farmers market yesterday and a cuke, lemon, and ginger from the co-op. Dumped that into my blender and added spinach and half an apple. Swirled it up and OH - MY - HEAVENS! This seriously is the best way to start your day. I feel amazing, and could care less about my back....i'm going to walk the pooch, listen to the birds, and enjoy the smile my pug, the sun, the birds, and that green drink put on my lips.

Thank heavens for my recent decision to get back into my hobby of jewelry making. It's been my saving grace during this down time with ye' ol' broke up back. I loved the chain earrings i posted on etsy so much that i had to make a pair for myself.

Get yours (click) here: chain earrings

Other new things....Acupuncture. Never had that done before. Diggin it! On Monday Dr Michele Ross at Tree of Life (click) gave me a chiro adjustment, muscle stem, and pinned me up good. Have you ever had muscle stem? It's this crazy machine with electrodes. Electricity is sent to the pads on you and you feel like there are blue electricity currents zapping through your body. It's CRA-ZEEEEE! Dr Ross is great! She's off of Morena down by where i take pilates, so if you are in need of getting pinned, book in with her and then head over to club pilates (click) for laura brownings reformer class - your thighs will thank you :) I found some relief from the acu, but not enough, so i went on Wednesday for session numero dos with Aquilino at AcuSport (click) in my stinky little beach bum town, Ocean Beach. He's got a great attitude, he's a fun conversationalist, and after the acupuncture he did some massage work which really broke up the hard knots that were the epicenter of my back-quake. I recommend booking in with him on a Wednesday afternoon so you can cruise the farmers market after your visit.

the strawberries are soooo good!

I'm off to enjoy the sunshine (someone's letting me know it's time for their walk).

Ca'Mon Already! JEEEEZZZZ lady!

...i hope you are able to do the same. Don't forget to support your friendly, local artist....ME: (click here) Jane Shop On Etsy.

xo

Ruby Beet & Black Quinoa Salad

2011-04-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

Hi all and Happy Monday! I hope those of you who celebrate Easter had a great day with friends and/or family and hopefully the easter bunny left you some candies, chocolates, or cooked you a fabulous Easter dinner. We had the boyfriend's parents in town so dinner was at ours. Lots of fixin's were made and shared, but my fave was the beet salad: beets, mixed greens, red onion, black quinoa, walnuts, and love. Yes love....cuz that's what makes food taste good right? There was a small amount of beets left over today from last night so i salvaged the remains and recreated the dish for lunch. While i didn't add any walnuts or red onion today i would highly recommend tossing both into the mix. I also subbed spinach in since i was fresh out of mixed greens, but that didn't compromise taste. Now i will say this salad is slightly involved, but only because you need to cook beets and quinoa. So when you are going to be at home for a while - say working on your computer, wasting time on FB, edu-ma-cating yourself on good eating here on my blog, or say...shopping on me' new etsy shop (hint hint), you can toss the beets in the oven and let-em cook for an hour. You'll be so busy you didn't even realize that the hour passed! Quinoa only takes about 20 minutes to cook, and it's always good to cook up a pot to have on hand for salads and other quick dishes. It stores well for a few days in the fridge.

Beet and Quinoa salad:

Heat oven to 400. Trim the tail and the leaves off of the beet. Leave about a half inch of stem so the beet doesn't bleed out too much. Rinse and scrub gently, but leave the skin on. Wrap the beets in foil to create a steam pouch, pun on a rimmed baking dish and cook for about an hour, until soft when pieced with fork. Allow to cool. Once cool you can use a towel to help slip the skins off. Cut off the stem and slice to the size you prefer for your dish.

Cook quinoa - one part quinoa to two parts water or veggie broth. Heat water/broth to a boil, add quinoa and dash of EVOO, stir, return to boil, cover and reduce to simmer for another 15- 20 min. Fluff with fork. Allow to cool.

Make your dressing: 1 Tbsp stone ground mustard, approx 2 tsp EVOO, approx 2 tsp balsamic vig, stevia (or honey or agave) and dash sea salt to taste.

Thinly slice red onion, crush a handful of walnuts, and toss this into a mixing bowl with mixed baby greens. Toss lightly with dressing. Add the cooled quinoa and beets, lightly toss and serve.

This would also be great with some soft cheese like feta or goat if you are a dairy do-er.

Oh So Sloppy: Veggie Head Friendly Sloppy Joes

2011-04-21T17:22:00.000-07:00

My three favorite foods growing up were kraft mac n' cheese, nestle Quik hot chocolate, and manwich. Might be hard to believe considering how i eat now, but once upon a time this was my diet. I drank quik EVERY morning with milk, had mac n' cheese as often as ma would let me (and yes, i'd layer on more salt), and manwich was more of a special occasion treat when dad was out of town. For so many years (and through so many doctors, specialists, hospital visits, and bills later) we still wondered why i had so many digestive problems? hmmm...any guesses? Let's see....maybe dairy?....gluten?...refined sugar?....and let's top that all off with possible nutrient deficiencies. I blame no one (Ma, if you're reading don't fret...i thought that flintstone vit-y was picking up the loose ends too)! So clearly given my attention to diet these days, you wouldn't find any of these foods in my house.

So what's my life like without manwich, mac n' cheese, and quik? Pretty Awesome - i feel a lot better and i never have really missed these foods...well not enough to revert back. I can still enjoy hot cocoa made with high quality cocao powder and almond milk, and can make a cheese-less version of mac and cheese with nutritional yeast and cashews and rice based pasta (though i never do), but i'd never even considered making manwich, given that it was just a can of high fructose corn syrup'ed, spiced, tomato sauce with a bunch of additives and "natural flavors" to mix with meat - a few things i'm not very partial of. Well all of that changed yesterday after reading a recipe on how to make lentil sloppy joes.

Yes, you heard me right: Lentil sloppy joes. These couldn't have come at a better time. I was looking to add more iron rich foods in my diet and lentils are right at the top of this list. A 1/2 cup of lentils actually have almost the same amount of iron as 4 oz of beef. Not bad veggie heads! I was introduced to this recipe from a friend of mine in Seattle (shout out to Holly!) who posted them on her FB page a while back. The recipe is from PPK - isa chandra moskowitz's site - she's written a bunch of veggie cookbooks. While i hadn't gotten around to making them til now, i'm glad to report that they are a perfect beef, ground turkey, or TVP substitution for sloppy joe night. While i probably won't make them often since they require canned tomato sauce and paste (i try to avoid canned foods, though i have been using canned pumpkin lately in some smoothies), they do make a great special occasion treat.

I went off the PPK recipe for the most part. Differences in mine were that i cooked up more lentils (1 1/2 cups), added red and orange bell pepper, put in a whole can of tomato sauce (15 oz) and tomato paste (6 oz), added a dash of apple cider vinegar for more tanginess, added half a diced sweet potato, and subbed out the maple syrup for stevia and agave. I also adjusted the amount of spices a bit.

Since i don't eat gluten i served myself a portion on Rudi's G-free bread. While my plate could have looked a lot prettier if i had a fancy bun or garnishes, i didn't mind....it was pretty darn tasty and made me feel like a kid again.

Less Eating, More Crafting: What I'm Making Now.

2011-04-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

Helloooooo out there! So i've been a little absent lately on me ol' blog for good reason: I've gone into production mode. Jewelry making has been a hobby of mine for longer than i care to speak of, and though i often toss it aside to focus on my career, lately i've been heavily drawn back to it with this incredible need to speak to my creative side. So while i still eat, and while i still love to talk about FOOD, i haven't been photo crazy on my meals because my mind has been tunneled on my next crafty adventure. AND here i am sharing with you what i'm making lately. (Yes, there will be a foodie recipe too, don't fret).

Right now i'm into copper and i'm loving hammering the wire, wrapping it, adding it to other textures, and just being creative.

Let me know what you think of these few weekend pieces. Should i finally open my Etsy webpage? (I registered years ago, but never posted on it. I tend to like what i'm doing when i'm doing it, then cut myself short when it's time to make sales - marketing myself is definitely not my forte).

Okay...enough about my crafty side...Let's talk food...cuz that's why you're really here, right? I have so many things to post about, however today we'll talk about 'stretching your juice'.

I love juicing. I love starting my day with a nutrient dense, enzymatically alive beverage that makes me feel amazing. Green juice does this for me. Our garden is growing greens like mad and i've gotten some amazingly HUGE organic beets from my CSA that were beckoning to be pressed into a sweet beverage. Done and done.

"I juiced you...you deeeeelicous red beet, and you too my bright green kale, but now what am i to do with this meesley 8 oz of juice you produced when i want to enjoy you all morning in a big ol' mason jar that will supply me wth 30+oz of liquid to keep me hydrated and happy?"

answer: filler' up with coco water!

Coconut water...the amazing yummy beverage that i shared with you back in August (click here to read all the amazing bene's of coco water). Coconut water not only makes your juice taste even more amazing, but it offers you a lot of electrolytes for very little sugar which is great if you are like me and spend much of your time in a hot and sweaty environment. Now, pure coconut water from the coconut would be choice, however the price of these delicacies has been skyrocketing lately so your next best bet will be packaged coco water. I've tried many of these, and they mostly all suck. They don't taste like coconut water, and i'm not sure how many of the nutrients they rave about are still there after it's been pasteurized, however, i have found ONE brand that makes a pretty tasty and decent beverage, and it's this one i use to fill my jar to stretch my juice. The brand is ONE....ironic...since it really is the only one that i've tasted that actually tastes like coco water.

All you juice luvah's out there go get yourself some ONE juice. Press your veggies then fill ur jar with this stuff. My morning juice looks something like this: 5 stalks celery, 1 large red beet, handful of kale, one lemon, one navel orange, and coco water. So good.

Now you tell me...What's in your jar????

Wellness Warriors Feast: Spiced Cauliflower And Potatoes

2011-04-10T14:19:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was the last meeting night for my Spring Detox Group at Core Power and we celebrated with a pot luck of delicious 'cleanse approved' dishes. For the past 20 days these Wellness Warriors committed to taking out soy, dairy, gluten, salt, refined sugars, processed foods, caffeine/stimulants, alcohol/drugs, corn, and chocolate. Not an easy feat! I was once again blown away with all of the delicious and healthy foods everyone contributed to the pot luck: there were quinoa dishes, chia puddings, popped amaranth, sensational salads, nopales/cactus, and even frushi (fruit sushi). When the buffet is 20 platters deep of cleanse approved whole food dishes and gluten free desserts without refined flours and sugars, it makes you realize that you have no need for so much of the other less nutrient dense food stuff that takes up space in our diets (and moreover in our bodies).

One of my favorite dishes of the night was made by Noel, who also teaches at CPY. Mad props to you Mamacita for making this dish so flavorful and mouth watering! And props to all of you Wellness Warriors who continue to inspire me to keep doing what i'm doing! Your testimonials and the self awareness you've gained along your journey is the most beautiful gift one can experience and share. Keep doing what you're doing, keep educating yourself, and share your knowledge with those whom you love and want to keep healthy too!

Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes:
1 head cauliflower
1 and 1/4 lb cubed potatoes
EVOO
1 onion diced
4 garlic cloves
2 tsp minced jalapeno
2 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne

Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
Coat the cauliflower and potatoes with 1-2 Tbsp EVOO and roast in the oven at 400 until done
Saute the rest of the ingredients with the spices
Mix everything together and savor!

Baked Kale Chips: An Tastey Indulgence In Under 15 Minutes

2011-03-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

Spring is greens season! Our garden is producing so much kale right now, even a caterpillar like me can hardly keep up! Today i clipped a bunch and made a batch of baked kale chips. Takes under 15 minutes and makes another great healthy and yummy snack. The only problem with kale chips is that they are super addicting and they leave green remnants in your teeth. Make a big bunch to share and make sure you're eating them with a REAL friend...you know, the kind that will tell you honestly about all the things stuck in your teeth.

Clean the kale and make sure you dry it well
Spray the kale lightly with EVOO
Sprinkle with sea salt or other seasonings
Bake at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes until crispy and edges are just turning golden.

crunch crunch

Click here for another great way to make raw kale chips if you have a dehydrator. The nutritional yeast and spirulina with agave and salt is to die for....really.

Sniggity Snack That's Not Wiggity Whack: Sundried Tomato Boats

2011-03-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

Hollah!!! And Happy Monday! I'm once again leading a fabulous group of yogis on an incredible 20 day detox and 'Boy don't you know it', It's snack time! It can get so frustrating when you are cleansing to keep things exciting. We often focus on what we can't have rather than what we can, and in that we fall into the routine of the same ol' same ol' trap. You know how it is, snacking on a celery stick or a carrot stick, a handful of almonds, or a piece of fruit. So that ain't so shabby but i can see where it gets a little dole-drum. So here's a fun little fresh and exciting sniggity to hold you over when your cooking up your din-din or hitting a mid day craving:

Sundried (or Sliced Fresh) Tomato Boats:

what's a tomato boat you may ask? According to MUAH and my new addition to the dictionary a tomato boat is a sliced or sundried tomato stuffed with goodness floating pretty from plate to palette. Here's my rendition....feel free to stuff yours all crazy with whatever your face wants to get stuffed with and let me know how it turns out.

5 sundried tomatoes (or one tomatoe sliced into five 1/4-1/2 inch slices)
Top each slice with a little fresh basil leaf
top each piece of basil with a small slice of avocado
drizzle EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) over the top
and if you haven't taken salt out of the diet yet, then you should. ha. Or you can put a pinch of sea salt on the top.

Eat em up. MMMMMMMMM